WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING
That Wednesday night
prayer meeting
with that old guy
with the glass eye
and Miss Trilde
who had that fixed smile
like the wind
had caught her
that way
and the other kids
there too
because their parents
thought it would give them
an idea of God
and maybe save
their souls although
they never said
that as such
and the organ
that small thing
stuck in the corner
out of tune
and you and Jimmy
and some other kid
would put in
your own words
to the overloud hymns
or Carmody would let off
foul wind
to match the organ
and there’d be a titter
of kid’s laughter
and the guy
with the glass eye
would peer out at you
with his good eye
and tut tut
while you looked
at the young girl
in front of you
with the cropped hair
and fat butt.
