Amazing Grace
When Bill goes home
to the church of his youth
he finds things are different.
They don’t sing “Amazing Grace”
the way they did when he was
young in a pew between his parents
with hands in his lap, cowlicks askew.
Today the church has a rock band
with lyrics dancing on a screen.
Young adults and kids love the music.
They fill the pews because the folks
as old as Bill are dying.
An old friend of Bill’s tells the pastor
he’s waiting to see John Belushi
do back flips down the aisle
and if that happens he’ll find
another church to tithe.
John Belushi’s dead, the pastor says.
Seeing him would be a miracle
and we can always use more miracles.
The old-timer tells the pastor a miracle
would be if someone played the organ
and sang “Amazing Grace.”
Donal Mahoney
