Fallow Fields

I'm writing a lot recently, but I can't help it. Idea after idea is coming at me.

This is great

You can never write enough for us Bill. You've never written better than now...so go for it my friend.

There's a sadness in your words. Empty Sundays...crowded Mondays. I know no sight better than a thousand children playing around in their Sunay clothes before church begins.
Left your conscience in the pew? Isn't that devastatingly sad. Point that out and make people think. Good. Bravo.

William this is very beautiful and I am so glad you have found your muse, or whatever it is that makes you write, because you are doing so very well, and this one is exceptional. Keep them coming, we are all waiting for them.

Fred. I am a Christian, a Baptist, but I cannot go to church because of my utter disgust with the right wing hypocrites who are nothing but evil blasphemous persons of evil to me. They are like president Bush, who claims to be a compassionate Christian, but obviously is not. Such hypocritical evil sickens me.

Sda, well written Thanks

Bill, I loved this piece and it is something that I can relate to. I am a christian as well but I cannot abide hypocrites. I haven't attended service in years. It makes me sad that I am not comfortable in the church, but what makes me sadder is the hate spouted by so called christains.

Left your conscious in the pew. I like that sentence. I dont go inside because of health reasons, but have a closer relationship when I worship here at home.

"That Monday is a different song
For here the children's cry echo"

Great ending!

"You did your duty showed your face
Sang all the songs and bowed for grace
Said a few amen's quite on cue
But left your conscious in the pew"

It's rare that a poem really, truly hits me, but these lines did. Wonderful, awesome job.

William - I think this a powerful introspection with regard to belief and duty, responsibility and commitment. The hypocrites embodying the shades of gray are distasteful enough to ruin the community of faith for many. Your scenes of one who poses and hits his mark on cue, with proper wardrobe and pained, emotion-wrought expressions tells of your familiarity with these cardboard cutouts.

I find it intriguing that you reference the empty pew on two occasions. I interpreted the first to refer to truly faithful, who were doing good, without regard to due, but rather caring about where it best served their community -- which was the opposite of decaying in a pew. However, the next time around, leaving "your conscious in the pew" (did you mean conscience here?) has quite a different sense - clearly the repository of the pretender, a conscience he slips on like his new jacket.

And we are left to wonder, as does your subject, standing amidst his own inactivity, in the fallow fields, struggling with his conscience.

I loved this William - write every hour if it means more work like this!

"You did your duty showed your face
Sang all the songs and bowed for grace
Said a few amen's quite on cue
But left your conscious in the pew"

(Should that say conscience?)

Right before reading this I had just reread Sheila's writing again entitled "Amelia Hides." The crying children in your poem are reminiscent of her article. But perhaps I just saw it that way because of her writing.

However you intended the crying of the children, you have written another great poem.

Dear William ..I was a lil busy but after following the Fallow fields ..I feel that many times I also feel the same but the show must go on...and hats off to you that you find the best rainbow even in somber days..wow...the rainbow of powerful words ..

"Such hypocritical evil sickens me."

Me, too, dear William... And thanks for the great poem - interesting imagery, deep meaning!

Blessings and good luck - B.

You are really writing lately, William. This is a thoughtful look at an important issue. It unfortunately is very true. I just started back to church this week as my grandkids were begging to go again. Our church has a lot of outreach to the community so I think a lot of the people there DO PRACTICE what they preach.

I can certainly relate to this - the feelings and the poem William. Very profound. And the image of fallow fields is rather haunting.

Oh my goodness William, you really are into this writing
from the heart and mind. I hear what you are saying in
line upon line. 'Children are crying as patterns find' this
is so true! 'Hope has never had your belief' and children
hope for better things to come into their lives! We do our
very best to bring happiness to each child in our Church.
There's no contention or bitterness just loving people
who go about their lives trying to be of some help to all
that need it. If someone is found in need of food it is there
or whatever they should need it is provided and we ask for
nothing on return. If it wasn't for the help I've recieved from
the hands of our people in our Church I know I never would
be where I am today. I thank Heavenly Father there are such
good men and women willing to help complete strangers and
I was one of them. Now I am there to be of help to crying and
hungry people, not just the children but they do come first. I
need to let this go I'm not able to continue.
Just Me
Barbie

Came back to read this beautiful poem once again William, I had a card from my church today, which reminded me of your verse, When my daughter passed away, we donated a good size amount in her memory and asked that a water fountain be put in for the use of the parishoners, that was in 2003, that year they redid the nursery in her memory and I assumed that was the end of it, I was disappointed our wishes were not carried out, but today the card said they are dedicating a water fountain in her name at the end of this month, in additon to other people who have passed on and having dedications, it seems as though there was more to putting in a fountain than just the unit, it took a lot of underground piping to be done, so at this time, I am feeling better because she always said she wanted a drink and there was no fountain, I don't know what this has to do with your poem, except that I don't go to church anymore, at least not often, but the people in our church are nice, and they are helpful, but I believe as in your poem, most people forget about Sunday and church, as Monday rolls around. Great poem William, and sorry for taking up all this space on your comments, but as I reread this, all this came into my mind. Our particular church does a lot of good work for the poor and the hungry.

Politics was the main reason I quit the church and why I won't go back.
Tom, Yes I guess I am the man in the fallow fields.

Hello William, I am back here, saw your poem about my dandelions and my night habits, I am guilty as charged, wish I could turn myself around again, this has happened slowly over the past year, and three oclock which used to be late now seems early to me, so somebody needs to shake me, wish I had someone right about now. Good night, going to try and get to bed earlier.

Thank you Barbie and Elsie for such personal heartfelt messages.

William, working with learning-disabled kids, as I do, it seems to me that you are more right than you maybe know... people often forget about kids with problems 24/7 nowadays...

William, This is beautiful, I am glad you found a lot to write about. I will check your other articles out soon. Thanks for all the comments : )

William, I hear my husband echoing behind your words. He will not go back to church for these very reasons. He is so angry for exactly what you speak about. And for that his family feels he is not a christian, and will darned well say so. Yet I see a man who truly cares for his fellow human beings. I see a man who believes in living the golden rule and does. To me he is the biggest christian in his family. So your poem hits home for me. Going to Catholic schools, we didn't turn anything off on Mondays because we always had religion class. We started our days with Mass every day. Now is different. There is no going to church every day. I must say I miss it. But some of the coldest, cruelest people I ever met were in church every Sunday. And still are. Makes me very sad. You speak a lot of truth.

I know too many people who are Sunday Christians.

Lynn, I hope your husband read this and knows there are many like him. Real Christians don't consciously try to hurt others with words of force.

So nice William.I loved reading this.

Please see my latest video 'gather spray'
http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.jsp?id=11821949021853754#comments

William,

I think it is good that you are writing every day, explaining your world to yourself and we readers. Good work!

Could identify with so many thoughts in your poem....like you....my pew is vacant on Sunday morn...instead, rather then sing hymns that do not echo to the world at large, I would rather spend my time with good works that do...whether helping a neighbor or providing comfort to a stranger...makes really no difference to me as long as it makes a difference to them.

It is sad that the words spoken in church aren't carry in the hearts of the people attending. This is a largely narcisic society of which many talk the talk but don't do the walk.

Blessings

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful words. When verse touches your heart, then I feel great satisfaction.