Elizabeth Mccann Poet Rhyme

Eye of the Needle

Assured in her beliefs,
My Grandma knew the score:
Not many folk would get to Heaven;
The following would be ignored.

A black man, Jew, Italian,
Catholic, Greek, or Slav,
Misguided Presbyterian, 
Adolescent plotting Love.

The Poor, because they should have saved,
The Rich who had too much,
The Drunkard for his need,
The Cripple for his crutch.

Soda jerks (that's bottled drink)
Beauticians? Vanity.
A neighbor Boy once sat with me
Beneath the willow tree.

All these she held apart, 
In Scripture being able
Secure in righteousness to find
For diversity a label.

For In-laws she had Charity,
A level Christian measure,
Sufficient thus to demonstrate
Duty over Pleasure.

Of children, there were three,
(Increase will prevail)
Precisely formed and tolerated,
Though indeed one was a Male!

This identical deficiency 
Was incumbent on her Spouse.
(Something like an in-law
Only always in the house.)

I'd have liked, Grandma, to see you greet
The missionaried Heathen
Whose Souls the eggs were sold to save.
Just who is let into your Heaven?

So cleverly you read the text,
So sweet you sang the song.
I love you, Grandma, you tried so hard
And got everything so wrong!

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Gershon Wolf September 17, 2022 at 9:34 PM Fitting denouement there, granddaughter! And yet, grandma probably heard it all from her preacher and/or her parents. She probably was just a manifestation of the problem, which is what happens when Scripture is (first) translated and (then) interpreted by 'whomever.' Great write. ~ Gershon Elizabeth Mccann September 18, 2022 at 4:51 AM Yes, she was a church elder at the time when the pastor whom I recall (as a small and fearful child) white haired Einstein style, waving his arms aloft and shouting Hell! Damnation! Perfidy and Sin! Grandma forgave her friend who differed in some interpretation, saying it couldn't be helped; she WAS a Presbyterian! Liz

Terry Ireland August 7, 2022 at 4:37 AM Hi Elizabeth - thanks for your comment. So true, beliefs change from generation. Your Grandma sounds firm and happy in her beliefs and you have caught her well. The sad thing is not their so called mistakes, but that we haven’t really learned from them. Write on.