backwards Catholic

backwards Catholic

 

 

 

melodramatic minstrel

sings supple tunes

with elastic themes

 

while others dream

of that freedom

of travel through moral maps

 

when an inch of promise

equals a mile of purpose

 

 

3/3/23

Reviews

[AJNJ]

Strangely, we as Hindus mostly don't face the pressures of organized religion in our lives. No one is ever pressurized to visit a temple or perform a ritual. Unless voluntarily. There must be this freedom for faiths to grow. No wonder, there's resentment towards the church.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I appreciate your sentiment, AJ

Yes, organized religion...mmmm
j.

[DIVYA]

Dear Jacob,
I feel we must always doubt what organized religion promises. I joined a local church recently, knowing that full well. No human being can help us reach salvation. It is totally personal. Yet, I joined to socialize my kids and have a formal Christian funeral, whenever I cark. Because unless I'm a formal church member, they won't even bury me with a prayer. I loved this poem and I so agree with you.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

they will bury me on a wing and a prayer.
a service of three at Tickle Naked Pond in VT.
read morethey will bury me on a wing and a prayer.
a service of three at Tickle Naked Pond in VT.
thank you, divya,
j.

[Susan 🦋]

Well THAT title got me. The catholic church and I have never seen eye to eye. I questioned everything growing up in the catholic faith. It was not always received well either. When the focus is more on Man than God...I have a problem. I left the Catholic church years ago, but not my faith. My faith and relationship with my God comes before everything. The church can serve a purpose. Fellowship is important. But no man/woman can be their own God/or above. Just some thoughts. :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Me either, Susan...when the nuns told us that we had to pray for and feel sorry for our friends who were Lutheran, Methodist or some other religion because they would not go to heaven since they were not Catholic.....I started questioning that immediately.
seems so egotistical.
Thank you for sharing....
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Where is Dave Allen when you need him.
He was a funny man who took great delight in bringing down the Catholic Church. There are sayers and there are doers but does the church do enough for the poor for they always come back in the hope of being rescued from there dilemma.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

not really, but the pastors drive cadillacs.
j.

[Ted Kniffen]

Sometimes I envy the Catholics ... backward or not ... they have the Saints on their side. Quite a few of my relatives are of that persuasion, while I was raised Protestant but flirted for a long time with agnosticism.
Even now I have more questions than answers ... still working toward the conclusion.

Good that you're back j.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Ted...it is good to be home here at WC.
I have more questions than answers as well.
the more I know, the less I know.
j.

[Einstein Noodle]

of course the title not drew; but yanked me in Sir Jacob! :) as you know, our pasts have many similarities. One of which is Catholicism. Early "instruction" makes for an almost impossible anchor to pull up. Things have changed mightily in case you find yourself seeking openly to converse with a good Padre at some point. We were instilled with as many anchors as we were with the fire of rebellion and seeing eyes that could not lie ... your sojourner ... backwards as may be the motion .. reflection .. or conflict .. is wrestling ... at least that's what I read ... and my "good" Padre has said in my own discussions about ... stuff ... "there is grace in the struggle" .. speaking on the conundrum of "trying not to try" ... of many Eastern ilks .. love this poem .. it's deep thoughts and frustrations .. totally relatable in my noodle
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your understanding...and insights, my friend...
yes, so many anchors...
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Elastic. I love that word.

an inch of promise
a mile of purpose

Organized religion doesn’t cut the mustard with me J. My Dad was a backwards Catholic.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I hear ya...thanks, Chris,
j.

[Soren]

This one appeals to me intrinsically because of the theme but is enhanced by the meter which, although somewhat irregular holds an intangible attraction. A bit of alliteration helps as does the last two lines. Very nice

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Soren,
j.

[Perdition]

Not a believer I take it?..lol. The final line sums it up quite well and sounds to me like that old-style religion I grew up with..that street spirit and slang of spit and shake that got you through life and remains a bond unbreakable. Whatever happened to that?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the jury is still out, Perdition.
yes, whatever happened to that old time religion?
I haven't lost faith, just faith in organized religion.
j.

[willweb]

I have noticed a slight change in your approach and themes since the operation. Each poem seems to have an end where before, they remained kind of open. Maybe it is just me. That doesn't mean I don't like them because I feel your talent shines brighter than most on here. I kind of like the change or having the ability to recognize it. Kind of like going from Meet the Beatles to Sgt Pepper to Abbey Road. Same artists, different approach.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

interesting....not aware of that myself, but it does make sense.
I love the early Beatles music best...
thank you, will,
j.