Ode' To Janelle's Piano
Seems it stood there all the time
her good piano ~ church now closed,
she used to sing her songs in rhyme
made church folks happy, in the rows.
The years went on ~ church once so gay,
for Indians, preaching love and truth,
the cafeteria, filled with food
in gatherings weekly, old and youth!
New folks came in ~ they disagreed,
soon land was bartered, no reprieve,
Janell's piano, left behind,
folks ventured on with their remind.
How long it stood, I just don't know
the sign in front, said "We're just closed",
a family fortress, her folks old
now no one else could bear the load!
Just signed it over ~ bigger group,
a year or two, then no one came,
a handful made the Sunday loop
'til just a few, still not the same!
Why is it, when a church is meant
to change unrest to Godly scope,
brave persons with deliverance sent
become deceitful, losing hope!
. . . . . . . . but wait . . . . . . . .
Tucked in the hills, yet hardly seen
except for one lone light, kept lit
could see it from the highway's glean
was smallest church that faith could fit!
First Indian church, ministry sown
with vigils, reservation's pace,
no carpet, curtains, sagging down
cracks gave the mice some interface!
Been closed down a might you see
the same as uptown, but hardly
as prominent, still the Indians went
when it was open, their God sent!
Older piano, maybe in State
playing hymns mostly Sunday
in local antique shop's equate,
with lots of things, sold for funding!
New ministers, with their Indian root,
determined to begin just there,
guitars, and crosses, simple ways
back from Virginia, heart's aware!
Attending at the closed down church
I gave this new group one more try,
after six months a newness came
ages of church don't qualify!
And only couple weeks ago,
a new piano was in front
they said "donated" was there more?
I asked ~ Janell's stood on their floor!
I wondered had she kept her word
to serve those that her parent's could
believe she did ~ she understood
their merits were in grace, not wood!
Copyright © Paula Larson | Year Posted 2012
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