Words to conjure with

'Words to conjure with' by RV Bailey

It’s OK – you don’t have to call yourself a Christian.
That’s a word where too many difficult relations
Are all too ready to drop in, some of whom
You really wouldn’t want to meet for a coffee
However many custard tarts were on offer.

‘Quaker’ has what you might call (that’s to say,
If you were a sociologist) a more respectable
Line in social capital. But beware: you might
Find yourself in over the ears, with altogether
Too much to live up to.

Catholic? A whiff of incense, a hint of
Mystery, aristocracy, priest holes and burning
At the stake. Though you’d like to think
Of yourself as being forgiven, the idea of
Confession’s enough to put anyone off.

In the end, maybe all of these will do:
Just leave out the capital letters, or better still
Don’t even mention any of the words. Just lie low,
And remember what you already know
About being Christian. And get on with it.

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Comments

This is an excellent poem! I keep reading it, over and over. Thank you!

By Maddy Rae on 26th July 2019 - 21:40

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It’s also very amusing!
How did I get here 8 weeks later?
christian, quaker, catholic - yes, let’s ‘lie low ... and get on with it’.

By trevorb on 21st September 2019 - 15:11

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