when my daddy preached (6)

when my daddy preached

when my daddy preached in the fifties, sinners would
tremble; would confess the lord jesus just to make
him stop. sisters would shout & cry; brothers would
speak in tongues that none but a few could understand.

when my daddy preached in the fifties, the church rocked,
with or without music. he would spin like a dervish, jump
in the spirit over the pulpit & for a moment be lifted up,
drawing the mesmerized congregation unto him.

when my daddy preached in the fifties, i saw jesus.
i believed water could be walked upon; could be turned
into wine. i believed the hungry could be fed, &
the sick healed & the dead called forth from the grave.

when my daddy preached in the fifties, i saw heaven, rose
up through its twelve gates; saw the cherubim & seraphim
& the spirits before the throne. through the power of his
homily, i peeked through my fingers & saw god & lived.

when my daddy preached in the fifties, i was sustained by
the certainty of god & the gospel & the promise of heaven
that made life on earth endurable. i had not seen the enemy’s
frightful face; nor knew him to be me.


©Joseph McNair;2009