November 12, 1998

After the Thirty First

for too long a time ghouls danced upon our homes and lawns

pleasant little horrors, symbolic of a greater evil

all too few confirm, fewer still can see

and one night, after knocks and cries and thanked good byes

it ends

the innocent “Trick-or-Treating” encouraged for our kids

their introduction to extortion, they know it not

the sacks that went out empty came home full

or not at all and the ghouls came down, mostly

and on the first a Christmas carol plays

they capitalize on our emotions

kindness to our children, though we do to them

harm incalculable

by promoting friendly fiends

and deny the One who came to save our lives from their death

by trivializing Him with the must gets of the season

may God have mercy on our land

for raising our children to love

evil more than His good

may God have mercy on us

for allowing this to happen

in a land where the church

is locked up and empty

six days out of seven

and the example of sacrifice

is scorned