This was an amusing story - one of my sister's friends challenged me to write a witty poem with the words faith, lust, crucifixion, abandonment, desecration and genuflect in it somewhere, with the chance that he might buy me a case of beer if it was good enough. When I found some time finally a week or so later, I wrote two (this is the more 'me' style one) and e-mailed them off. Sure enough, a few days later a slab of VB's turned up at my front door. Quite amusing it was - I didn't really expect that at all.



Falling away


			My faith has dug its hole.
			I feel no reason to hold me here -
			Except for my own stupidity.
			There is nothing that I can gain
			From sitting here
			Too far away from the front -
			Unable to hear a thing -
			Would it make any difference anyway?
			I feel abandoned as all around me
			Genuflect and walk away -
			Bowing to something that holds nothing for me.
			Maybe my lusts have blocked me from viewing this truth - 
			But I cannot see how that could truly be so.
			Through my mind dash vivid images
			Of the desecration of the altar -
			Horrifying all who are present -
			All who believe in something that cannot be real.

			The Crucifixion was a marvellous act the way it has been played up -
			Shame that man's strive to find an answer
			Has led to the grave falsity that I see before me -
			Of supplication to empty furniture
			And an empty heaven.

			I cannot stay any longer
			In this place where I have no name
			Where I am just one of the masses.
			I'm off to take something for myself -
			Off to find something material
			To fill this gap which has opened within me.

			As I walk away
			I can't help feeling
			That something is calling me back -
			Desiring to see me personally in front of an altar.
			But it cannot be so -
			I am a face with no name back there -
			One who has fallen away from the hypocrisy of the church -
			Never to return.

			So why is it that I feel a sadness spread?
			I am joyed to leave this place
			Where façades of holiness swim around me -
			I should not feel less!
			...but I do...



© R. A. W. S. Clarke

P.S. This is not the way I see things - but I was thinking of churches where you go because you're a church goer, not because you want to - and that a falling away can occur from such a place. This church, I must say, is somewhat thinking of some common strict Catholic doctrines where God is only behind the altar and talkable to by a priest - not down with man like He really is. It is also a few thoughts of possible doubts that may happen...again, please note that this is not what I think of Christianity (as you probably have worked out though from the rest of my stuff, but hey...)

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