Come Sunday Morning

 

Sun beats its rays against the window

Smell of coffee, waffles, eggs, bacon fill the air

Sounds of gospel sets the mood

Brother long in the shower trying to sing

Momma dressed in her Sunday best

Dad suited up and ready to go

It’s Sunday morning.

Church packed with friends and kin

Visitors sitting on any pew

Dancers stream with flags and pennants

Music sets the atmosphere

Drums and base, guitar and sax

Electric organ and synthesizer

Soul, jazz, blues, -merge in that gospel beat.

Granny fixes little Kia’s hair

Jackie, from the corner, walks up the stair

Starts to sing Amazing Grace

The choir fills in the spaces.

Deacon James, used to run the numbers, now prays

As Bettye, the junkie, murmurs along.

Martha holds Kimmie discarded at birth

Raymond, on parole, tickles the keyboard.

Juwana, formerly John, strums the guitar.

Pastor Marsha starts to pray

Mother Sarah hums a hymn

Brother Benjie strums along

Shouts of deliverance

the Holy Ghost comes

foreign tongues heard

somebody got a dance going on.

Stained glass and strained lives

Preacher man stands to deliver the word

Nehemiah wanted to rebuild a wall

What walls do you have need rebuilding

Family –broken and abandoned children

Neighborhoods –wracked with crime and drugs

Schools –unable to teach, failure the norm

Fathers –abandoning their children

Sons –growing up hating fathers not there

Mothers –raising babies not their own

Daughters –pregnant before their time

Hope-lost on the highway to nowhere

Despair-on every door

Blood –where brothers killing brothers

Hate-dropping by the score

Churches –doing business as usual

While hell’s gate is open once more.

Preacher man sings his sermon

Gotta rebuild that wall

Stop hating that brother cause he different

Stay outta your neighbor’s bed

Clean up around your own back door

Leave others to clean up theirs

Quit spending your seeds in strange gardens

Stop complaining’ bout what you should’ve had

Teach somebody about their future

Reclaim those dreams you once had

Forgiveness is granted regardless of sin

Stop looking ‘neath another’s problems

Take responsibilities for your actions

Be the change you want the world to be

Listen as the songbird praises the Sun

Watch as the rainbow paints the sky

Hearken to the wisdom of children

Love regardless of circumstances.

Preacher woman takes up the tune

Searches the room for an amen

Sings of forgiveness and redemption

Extends the love everywhere

Come you who are now broken hearted

No shame in whatever you’ve done

We do not condemn for we have all sinned

Only God will be your judge

We will walk with you if you want us

We will not shun or forsake

Come let us break bread together

As family, kin and one.

Come Sunday morning