Thursday, 8 April 2010

WHERE WAS GOD?

When Haiti shook
And the old colonial
Structures fell
Who was to blame?

When the rains fell on Madeira
Making rivers of mud
Where once were roads
Who was to blame?

When earthquake and tsunami
Wreaked their havoc
On Chile’s coast
Who was to blame?

The zealots speak of God’s wrath,
Divine retribution
Against the wicked of the world
Smiting the transgressors
But it’s not the wicked who suffer
It’s the most humble and devout
The poor and the needy
Who suffer the most
Why would God do such a thing?
What would be gained?
It’s not a Godly act
But rather that of a tyrant
That’s not what my God would do
My God is a loving God
Not a wrathful being

The secular blame God
For not stopping natural disasters
They don’t believe in him
But blame him anyway
Where was God?
What was God doing when he was needed?
When something wonderful happens
They praise nature’s ingenuity
Yet when tragedy strikes
It’s “where was God?”
God is not to blame
It is not within his power to prevent disasters
So he does what he can
He comforts and supports
Eases suffering and ends pain
But my God is not to blame

Mother Nature is the culprit
The planet is angry with mankind
And unleashes these acts of spite
To punish us for our indifference
Mother Nature roars
And defines our insignificance
When the earth moves
And mountains split
When winds tear up all before them
And the seas rise up
We are powerless
But we are not alone
When we are at our most vulnerable
Who do we call upon? God
Whoever that God might be
Mine is an understanding God
A compassionate God

LENT

LENT

This time of year is significant
For what Lent represents
But I have racked my brains
And don’t know what to give up for lent
I really don’t know what to give up
I don’t have a sweet tooth
And I neither smoke nor drink
No vices at all and that’s the truth
So despite its significance
For what Lent represents
I have come to the conclusion
It’s easier just to give up lent

I HAVE GIVEN UP FOR LENT

I have given up for lent
Pate de fois gras
Lobster thermadore
And Beluga caviar
Well in a way
I’ve never had them ever
But I won’t have them
Between now and Easter

WHAT CAN I GIVE UP?

For lent you have to give up
Something that you enjoy
Well that gave me a lot more choices
When I was but a boy
Now it’s not quite so easy
I don’t enjoy too much at my age
So I will have to give up being cantankerous
Or just give up road rage

MANDELA

What makes Mandela a great man?
Was it that he opposed apartheid?
So what?
He wasn’t alone in that
That doesn’t make him great
That would make half the world great

What makes Mandela a great man?
Was it that he led the ANC’s military wing?
So what?
Not really the stuff of greatness
Just another bloody terrorist

What makes Mandela a great man?
Was it his twenty seven years in jail?
So what?
Murder and rape will achieve that
That doesn’t make him great

What makes Mandela a great man?
Was it that he symbolized the struggle?
A beacon against apartheid
So what?
That doesn’t make him great

What makes Mandela a great man?
Is it that he’s a nice silver haired old man?
With a warm affable smile
So what?
That could be my granddad

What makes him a great man?
Was it that he was the first black president?
Of a free South Africa
Very historic
But that alone doesn’t make him great

What makes Mandela a great man
Is his humility
His humanity
He could have spoken in vengeance
Yet he spoke of reconciliation
He could have evened the score
Balanced the books
For black South Africa
He could have unleashed
A black tide of death and destruction
Upon the white minority
Pay back
But he did not
Instead he spoke forgiveness
He could have been a Mugabe
And never relinquished power
But chose to serve only one term
Then handed on the baton
His work was done
His greatness set in stone

THE WONDERFUL GIRL I SEE

Why do I love you?
Well it could be
Because you’re beautiful
Or that you’re funny

It could perhaps be
That you laugh at my jokes
Or that you chose me
When there are better blokes

It might be because
You’re caring and sharing
Or of modest disposition
Though cautiously daring

Why do I love you?
It could quite easily be
Your wisdom and intelligence
Or that you’re pretty and witty

But it doesn’t matter
What superlatives I apply
Or how long the list of traits
And attributes that I supply
You wouldn’t recognize them
The wonderful girl I see
Would be a stranger to you
Such is your modesty

WHY DO THEY CALL YOU PRUDISH JUDITH?

Hey Jude
I thought you were a prude
Hey Judith
I heard them call you prudish
Are you shy?
Is that the real reason why?
Hey Judith
Is that why they call you prudish?
But damn
When you’ve had a babycham
Wow Jude
You are no goody two shoes
In fact Jude
You are really rather crude
No prude
That I am forced to conclude
Jude I think
That is why you have a drink
As a cure
From being modest and demure
And Jude
When you’re in the mood
To be lewd
You are exceptionally rude
With no prudity
In the manner of your nudity
So Jude
I am forced to conclude
That Judith
Your prudishness is a myth

HOME SPUN PHILOSOPHY

# 1

A positive attitude
May not solve all the problems you’ll face
Which can make your life a trial
But a positive attitude
Will annoy enough people along the way
To more than make it worth your while

# 2

We make a living by what we get
That’s one way to live
But the alternative is we make a lifeBy what we give

HOME SPUN PHILOSOPHY

# 1

A positive attitude
May not solve all the problems you’ll face
Which can make your life a trial
But a positive attitude
Will annoy enough people along the way
To more than make it worth your while

# 2

We make a living by what we get
That’s one way to live
But the alternative is we make a lifeBy what we give