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Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAY MORNING COWBOY


He moseys down the sidewalk
past the little A-frame church
where parents of long-haired girls
in granny skirts
and fidgety little boys
resigned to being on their best
behavior for as long as they can stand it
(which is about an hour,  tops)
are herding their charges inside.

Cowboy eases his lanky old frame 
 past the church
and enters the convenience store
on the corner. 

On the return trip he totes a 12-pack
under one arm, 
and as he passes the little meeting house again,
the sound of hymns being sung 
with gusto,
if not exactly on key,
wafts into the street.

To casual observers,
Sunday Morning Cowboy
takes no special note of any of it. 

But they'd be wrong. 

When he gets home 
and pops open
that first Sunday morning beer,
chugs about half of it
 in one swallow,
and burps lustily...

he pauses 
and murmurs: 
Heavenly Father,
we thank thee for these gifts. 


16 comments:

  1. smiles. got to be thankful...and for that, you def dont have to be inside a church...smiles.

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  2. ... Bravo ... 'cause he made it to Sunday morning church ... what a good little boy ... mmmh?

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  3. ... meaning ... he's hoping, while I'm hooping ... :)

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  4. BRIAN: Yeah, we take our sustenance any way we can.

    CAT: And I'm hopping while you're bopping.

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  5. You put a smile on my face ~~ certain to last all day!!! Cheers.

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  6. I love a dose of Sunday morning iconoclasm myself.

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  7. A bit pathetic but it's a start.

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  8. HELEN: Your comment put a smile on mine!

    KERRY: Well then, I'll pop you open another one!

    MARGARET: Yeah...next Sunday he might only drink a six-pack.

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  9. __This reminds me, of an old [and then, so common] name...
    -Church Key-. A different beginning sound... but the fizz is the same.

    Always, Tim... _m

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  10. lol! I loved this, Tim. Your humor never ever fails to shine through. :)

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  11. MAGYAR/DOUG: Ha--only a contemporary of mine would remember that...
    And that's cool how you connected it to the poem--very apropos!

    TALON: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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  12. nice contrast: a Sunday cowboy dressed in beer and the chorus background. The good Lord is everywhere. Cheers

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  13. I love this! Truly it is easier for me to be thankful outside the confines of a building and when I am out in nature. Occasionally, I'm even thankful for a glass of wine.

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  14. MEFEEDYOUME: Well stated!

    RAZZAMADAZZLE: You've hit the nail right on the head. (Unlike me, you missed your thumb!)

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  15. Timoteo, I loved this. No one really knows the heart of a stranger. While I'm a church-going member of the UCC (rowdy social justice people, cousins of the Unitarians) and get a lot out of being in community, I completely understand this man. Hey, there are many roads up the hill, and no one who has to dress up to go to church (especially kids) tends to have fun in the worship.

    We're a liberal, "come as you are" church, where the cowboy would find himself welcome! But if all he does is acknowledge God and do things in love, what the hell? Who's anybody to judge him, right? I loved this. Now I want a beer, though! Amy

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  16. AMY: Thanks so much! Yeah, that's my kind of community. And I've got some cold ones in the fridge, so come on over!

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