The Old, Old Church Poem by martin elbin

green chairs are lined in soldier's ranks below the table's flowers
as sentinels before the gate, the narthex and the towers.
worn tiles, carpeted the floor with filthy years misuse,
and doorstop's gasket can't control the door's fatal abuse.

soft glow of light's florescent shine thru dusty, cracked veneer
of plastics yellowed by the time that passed throughout the years,
and seen the steps of minions passed into the quiet halls,
forsaken by the many souls passed by the peeling walls.

worn carpet's tattered edges sift the dust and dirt around
and little pads the footsteps on the hard packed dirty ground.
an older floor remembers feet of saved and gone believers
unlike the tiles of modern floors dance hall's cold decievers.

red wrapped the pews of old dark wood stand row by row of lumber
held many hearts captured by words, and joy and sometimes slumber.
and face the standing podium where lessons rolled on by
down to the waiting neophytes, once bitten, and, twice shy.

old melted waxy candles line the walls on metal sills
drips hang below and hold on as do memories and will,
silent sentinels at ready to burst forth when they are called
with a light that flickers brightly in the old and yellowed hall.

wood carpentered into a cross stands still in dusty space
beyond the podium and altar, filling up the honors place.
no matter how the time goes by, it stands alone and strong
for people always end up- in the end they move along.

amazing grace was tossed about from lips of rolling thunder
and melodrama played out full in splendor and in wonder,
saved here and there the hearts leapt high to hear the scriptures read
about the past and holy days of martyrs long since dead.

cold skeptics sat there once or twice and heard repeated news
of histories held firm by faith espousing virtues' views.
no sale was made to those who cried of false and wasted means
responses twisted answers flowed from warped and altered scenes.

around this crumbled hallway glance and you can see the signs
of lost, confused and tortured by the old complex designs,
as the earth moves on in time and space so to the rules of life
but not so far away from God we hope and give advice.