Country Pastor

[couchgrouch]

Country PastorHis collar was the redneck above his overallshe never preached much on cussin' or alchoholcos the seeds of faith rarely sprout from brimstonefew are saved from the abyss by just a list of do's and don'tshis only weakness was for unfiltered cigaretteshid a few in a cupboard for when he felt stressedhe first smoked when his brother left on that army trainbut he stayed behind in the hills of Caroline and becamea country pastorev'ry wayward soul was his churchcos till a man knows he's losthe can't begin his searchheaven's will was the masterof the country pastorthough some said he shouldna been in that bar near townno one got hurt thanks to his words when those drunks put their razors downhe useta read to Miss Grover in that rest home gazebohis words calmed her more than any sawbones' placebobut when his son said he wanted to be like his uncle and servethe sound of his own prayer in the mountain air couldn't ease the nervesof the country pastorev'ry wayward soul was his churchcos till a man knows he's losthe can't begin his searchheaven's will was the masterof the country pastorwhen his brother knocked dressed like a Fort Jackson chaplainhe didn't read the telegram...he knew what had happenedboth those preachers sat down on his back porchthey prayed and wept and passed a cigarette back n forthoh the country pastorev'ry wayward soul was his churchcos till a man knows he's losthe can't begin his searchheaven's will was the masterof the country pastor(c)2006 Robert George