DECEMBER 5,2005

Hello again, I hope this finds you all well and in good spirits. I don't recall if I mentioned at any time that I don't actually own a computer. At present I am in a public library. I have gotten many requests for the following poem. So here it is.

A TALK WITH MY SOUL

DEAR SOUL HELP ME REMEMBER THE WAY
THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE THEY LED ME ASTRAY

BECAUSE I WAS A BABE AND MY BODY SMALL
I WAS TAUGHT TO WALK BEFORE I COULD CRAWL

I FELL ON MY FACE AND SCRAPED MY KNEES
BUT THOSE PEOPLE THAT LOVED ME I WAS EAGER TO PLEASE

THEY CLAPPED THEIR HANDS AND MADE SUCH A FUSS
THAT MY BEST INFANT YEARS WERE SPENT IN A RUSH

HURRY AND WALK, HURRY AND EAT
YOU'LL SOON BE A MAN AND STAND ON YOUR FEET

WELL I STOOD ON MY FEET BUT WAS COMPLETELY LOST
I HAD LOST TOUCH WITH MY SOUL WHAT A TERRIBLE COST

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND TRIED TO FIND IT AGAIN
BUT FOR FEAR I'D GET LOST THEY ENCLOSED ME IN A PEN

NOW THEY COULD GUARD ME I WAS UNDER THEIR CONTROL
FURTHER AND FURTHER THEY TOOK ME FROM MY SOUL

I TRIED TO LOOK BEYOND THEM I GAZED INTO SPACE
BUT DISTRACTION AFTER DISTRACTION THEY STUCK IN MY FACE

I SOON GREW TIRED AND TRIED TO SLEEP
BUT THEY CAME AND AWOKE ME AN APPOINTMENT TO KEEP

COME MY SON YOU'LL BE NOBODY'S FOOL
THEY WASHED AND FED ME AND SENT ME TO SCHOOL

WHAT IS THIS PLACE SO FOREIGN TO ME?
WHAT CAN THEY TEACH ME IF I JUST WANT TO BE?

IF THEY ARE SO SMART WHY DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAY?
MY BODY MAY BE SMALL BUT I ALREADY KNOW THE WAY

I WAS TAUGHT RELIGION AND ALL ABOUT RACE
I WAS TAUGHT SO WELL I FELT OUT OF PLACE

BUT NOW I AM A MAN AND HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME
SO I MUST FORGET WORDS LIKE GUILTY, STUPID AND SHAME

AND WITH THE HELP OF MY SOUL I'll REMEMBER THE WAY
AND GET BACK WHERE I WAS ON THAT VERY FIRST DAY.

I wrote these words on a brown paper bag as they came to me one day while traveling down a lone country road in a foreign country. I was lost in more ways than one. I believe in the divine and the divine inspiration. Once it came to me on a rooftop in Brooklyn just before I got shot. I didn't heed the warning then, I was so committed at the time to my oath as a police officer. Today with my hearing only in one ear, I listen intently.

The God I believe in is not just my God, but the God of all beings no matter what language they speak. God does not require language, education or fancy clothes. I have no use for man made religion. In my opinion it is a man made disaster responsible for the death and torture of countless millions by deranged minds, zealots, bigots and hypocrites. I have no respect for capitalist evangelists, pontifs, or the herd mentality that blindly follows their dictates. They profane the name of Christ but none follow in his footsteps save a few perhaps like St. Francis and even Vincent Van Gogh. Yes, he just wanted to be like Christ and minister to the poor and needy but was sent packing by his superiors who accused him of setting a bad example because they wanted to hold on to their riches and not be reminded by his oath of poverty.

I even heard one of these televangelists distort the words of Christ by omission. He blabbed "Christ said come follow me," yes that is true, but Christ also said "First give what you have to the poor and then follow me. Christ also said render unto Caesar things that are Caesar's, etc. Today's evangelists are dictating government policy. One of my favorite authors, Thomas Payne said, "I am a citizen of the universe and my religion is doing good." Needless to say the clergy would not even let him die in peace. They tormented him on his death bed to "recant and save your soul" -- what a mockery.

Well, I've rambled on long enough and did what you're not supposed to do, discuss religion and politics, but I'd rather people hate me for what I am than love me for what I am not.

FOR A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD GO TO:
WWW.DEMOCRACYNOW.ORG

May God bless you and peace be with you.

FRANK SERPICO





- posted by Frank @ 2:06 PM