'Fireblossom Friday' at 'Imaginary Garden with Real Toads' invites participants to create a title using one word from two lists - one of adjectives, the other of nouns - and write a poem. The words were terrifying, regretful, miniscule, inebriated, envious,
reincarnated, obsessive, lovestruck, studious, unexpected and sherpa, ecclesiastic,
docent, incubus, Gypsy, zookeeper, CSI, zombie, stripper, prodigy.
The Regretful Ecclesiastic
His sermons were chilling, his
flock afeared
As he threatened penances drastic,
And many young folks foreswore worldly
goods
And took to the life monastic.
He stood in the pulpit, raised arms
and voice,
And declaimed in tones bombastic,
‘Be assured your sins will find you
out,
Judgement Day will be fantastic.’
The years rolled past and his
audience shrank,
He saw and waxed more sarcastic,
Then mellowed and his lessons
became
Gentler and more scholastic.
At the end of his days as he looked
back
On his life ecclesiastic
He wished he had smiled more as he
preached
And been less enthusiastic.
Oh, I really love this, Janice. (Was carried along by the rhymes.) I have known a preacher or two like him at his most 'enthusiastic.' LOL.
ReplyDeleteFabulous!
ReplyDeleteI do believe I knew him! Most convincing.
ReplyDeletebeware the zealot - and your keen pen is in the spirit of of Fireblossom's original quote on her post. Well done ~ M
ReplyDeleteThis reads so well because of the well chosen rhymes and I love the message within the story. Very nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThe rhyme works well here! interesting to see the preacher in retrospective!:)
ReplyDeleteI love the rhyme and the progression of this story!! Entertaining indeed!
ReplyDeleteI love the rhyme! Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteI never gave much thought to the word ecclesiastic before. True thoughts for all of us here, ecclesiastic or not.
ReplyDeleteA thunderous round of applause from me!! Your repetitive rhyme adds to the humour no end, and is just brilliantly maintained to the end. Great punchline too.
ReplyDeleteAn enjoyable read and fantastic use of your chosen words.
ReplyDeleteExcellent story and stellar rhyming and meter!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLoved your collection of -astic rhymes! *smiles*
ReplyDeleteGreat rhymes, and a very convincing message.
ReplyDeleteI love this, Janice, and am impressed with your large vocabulary of words ending in "astic"!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jinksy already said that. Well, me, too.
And how many real preachers find themselves mellowing in their twilight years? Many, I suspect.
No one can stay bombastic forever, with the possible exception of Sir Winston C.
Luv, K
Very nice ... I believe I have experienced every one of those pulpit transitions ....
ReplyDeleteHe has a familiarity about him...great write!
ReplyDeleteThis is clever and spot-on.
ReplyDelete