Bringing It All Back Home

Bringing it All Back Home

Side 1, Track 7

The man says, "Get out of here I'll tear you limb from limb." I said, "You know they refused Jesus, too." He said, "You're not Him”

No, I’m not Him … or Her or They,

for that matter, especially these days,

these few simple days and nights

between solstice and a new year,

headlights illuminating tire tracks

crunching up the long snowy drive,

footsteps shaking the porch, living

room all decked out, fire warming

this nearly abandoned hut in the dark

woods, a long-haired grandmother,

her irreverant faith bound in babies

and birds, reading storied passages

from Matthew 2:7-11, Luke 2:1-14,

before giving way to this pagan moon

worshipper, yes me, and no, not Him,

hamming up The Night Before Christmas

as a homily before the dog-eared pile

of song books gets passed around,

an off-key family choir mumbling carols

no one knows by heart, the orange bulb

in the Mexican creche as good a sign

as any that tonight all are welcome here,

safe from the cold wind of narrow belief,

where someone is refused everywhere we go.

–SL, New Paltz, NY, Dec. 24, 2022