CONVENTION
Stiletto heels, lace and frills, men in suit and tie,
Neatly dressed in Sunday best, you pass the neighbors by
"Going to a wedding? they ask, as I grab my daughter's arm
"No we're off to convention," I say, "in a tent on a cattle farm."
Now we've arrived ahead of time, to find a seat that's good
But pillows and blankets cover the most, too late, that's understood
The meeting fills up, all heads spin round, to see what they can see
And then the silence fills the tent, as all wait patiently.
The platform preachers take their seats, the whisperings begin,
He's visiting from Washington State, we're lucky to have HIM
Now, opening meeting for a few, perhaps just for eight or nine
And thirty two jump up instead, shivers go down your spine
"Now that's enough for now" he says, you'll have to be real brief
Just then another soul pops up, you sigh in disbelief
Mrs. Richard's shaking so, "I never would be here,
If it was not for the sacrifice, of those two servants, dear"
Next one has a lengthy story of just before the war
How two workers came his way, in 1934
The sun's now risen in its strength, its hard to now endure
The blending of "Channel no. 5, with cow and pig manure.
The worker now from Washington, has preached away an hour
And you're rehearsing all the tricks to give you waking power
Keep your mind upon the speaker, get absorbed in what he's saying
Don't allow your eyes to wander, or your head from gently swaying
That's the time you'll lose your balance, and your eyes will gently close
What you thought a normal reflex, turns into a steady doze
Now and then you watch the speaker, but his face becomes a blur
Then your books crash to the floor, creating quite a stir.
So, you pick them up quite startled, don't let anybody know
Meanwhile everyone was watching, as your head swayed two and fro.
Now a candy always rescues, slumbering souls in dire despair
So you reach down in your pocket, but alas! it isn't there
Sure, its stuck down in the lining, after all, its hot you know
And that so-called precious "life saver," is real stuck, it won't let go
Now this last resort is priceless, "Ever slept when froze with fear?"
Start imagining what you'd look like if you'd land on someone near
Or be sprawled out in the aisle there, everyone thought you had died
And they quickly clamour all at once, to drag the corpse outside
Well, the final moment comes at last, We'll sing hymn Two eight oh
And after verses one and two, we'll let the waiters go
Revival comes, the audience, has heard the dinner bell
The stew aroma fills the air, and casts its magic spell
After dinner, lots of time to visit, with the folks
Little circles, cliches are forming laughing, telling jokes.
"Now did you pick up on Suzanna?" short, disgraceful skirt,
She's just here to find a husband, she's just a little flirt"
"Look at Jim, now he's all eyes too, widower for just a year,
Probably looking for another, so repulsive, dear, dear, dear.
"There's old Sam, he never makes it to a meeting anytime
But he shows up at convention, just a free place he can dine.
Oh, dear friends this may seem funny, as you read line after line
But it grieves our Heavenly Father, who is watching all the time.
As He looked upon Jerusalem, and He wept to see their plight
Blindness veils their understanding, How He longs to give them sight
Just you think about YOUR children, they can ne'er exhaust your love,
Pray, please pray that God will touch them, send reveal from above.
By Sheila Martin
