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Sunday Evenin Coming Down
Today’s poem was inspired by a prompt for a November Poem a Day Challenge last fall. The prompt was "harmattan" which is the dusty NE wind that blows through West Africa in the winter. The dryness and dustiness of the season provides an apt metaphor of a heart condition that I experience when I am especially tired after a day of ministry.
Also, ever since I saw Larry Gatlin talk about Kris Kristofferson's song "Sunday Morning Comin' Down" in the Country Music Documentary by Ken Burns, I’ve been fascinated with the lyrics and the story. The last two stanza's are heavily burrowed (copied?) from Kristofferson’s song. For a pastor, it isn't Sunday mornings coming down after a Saturday night that’s difficult, it is the coming down on Sunday evening after a full Sunday.
When the busy work of blowin’
Through the duties of the day
And tired like weight growin’
From the words I’ve had to say,
Leaves me draggin’ in the hallways
Closing up the sabbath rest
The weary fear like always
Rushes wild in the chest.
I walk the empty church’s hall
The hollow sound of steps
Is all the fresh wind of that call;
Doubt’s all that I’ve got left
I check the doors, I press and lean
Into the, What’s my part?
A crash bar check of brittle dreams
And the dryness of the heart.
Sometimes the only wonder is
The wonder of the Why?
That leaves you empty handed as
You look up at the sky.
It’s the doubting that’s the burden
The wear that leaves you down
The weight of all the hurting
Of Sunday evenin’ comin’ down
The drive home is now in darkness
Through my town’s busy roads
Where the contrast’s in the starkness
Of the lightness and the loads.
In a Sunday evening driveway
Wishing Lord that I was done
Cause there’s something in a Sunday
Makes a body feel alone.
Ain’t nothing short of cryin’
Half so lonesome as the sound
Of a pastor’s mind a ‘Why?-in’
Sunday evenin’ comin’ down.
© Randall Edwards 2023
#PoPubPAD #NovPad #NovPad2023 @the.poetry.pub
After Kris Kristofferson, “Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down” lyrics © Combine Music Corp.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backwardmutters.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backwardmutters.substack.com
View all episodes
By Randall EdwardsToday’s poem was inspired by a prompt for a November Poem a Day Challenge last fall. The prompt was "harmattan" which is the dusty NE wind that blows through West Africa in the winter. The dryness and dustiness of the season provides an apt metaphor of a heart condition that I experience when I am especially tired after a day of ministry.
Also, ever since I saw Larry Gatlin talk about Kris Kristofferson's song "Sunday Morning Comin' Down" in the Country Music Documentary by Ken Burns, I’ve been fascinated with the lyrics and the story. The last two stanza's are heavily burrowed (copied?) from Kristofferson’s song. For a pastor, it isn't Sunday mornings coming down after a Saturday night that’s difficult, it is the coming down on Sunday evening after a full Sunday.
When the busy work of blowin’
Through the duties of the day
And tired like weight growin’
From the words I’ve had to say,
Leaves me draggin’ in the hallways
Closing up the sabbath rest
The weary fear like always
Rushes wild in the chest.
I walk the empty church’s hall
The hollow sound of steps
Is all the fresh wind of that call;
Doubt’s all that I’ve got left
I check the doors, I press and lean
Into the, What’s my part?
A crash bar check of brittle dreams
And the dryness of the heart.
Sometimes the only wonder is
The wonder of the Why?
That leaves you empty handed as
You look up at the sky.
It’s the doubting that’s the burden
The wear that leaves you down
The weight of all the hurting
Of Sunday evenin’ comin’ down
The drive home is now in darkness
Through my town’s busy roads
Where the contrast’s in the starkness
Of the lightness and the loads.
In a Sunday evening driveway
Wishing Lord that I was done
Cause there’s something in a Sunday
Makes a body feel alone.
Ain’t nothing short of cryin’
Half so lonesome as the sound
Of a pastor’s mind a ‘Why?-in’
Sunday evenin’ comin’ down.
© Randall Edwards 2023
#PoPubPAD #NovPad #NovPad2023 @the.poetry.pub
After Kris Kristofferson, “Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down” lyrics © Combine Music Corp.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backwardmutters.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backwardmutters.substack.com