He Clapped For Us All

He Clapped For Us All he could clap like it hurt his pink palms, regarding us with sacred consideration promises, words, meaningless, bland, creations for every special occasion, words waving like proud embattled flags and he might rub noisy skin on cold hands, like desiccated snakes in brown paper bags, before describing some special acquaintance yes, confabulations will fly to beat the band and I, a child, supposed he smelled like laundry, this holy man privy to the grand plan with his coal tar soap, black shoes so polished for Sunday and we will sing like we mean it sing with a singular sing in the plural sing for life, for death sing against roof and wall we sing, wise and fool while he clapped for us all