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lay your weary head down
this night as always
always to Him
your soul is His to keep
snuggled deep inside the brown leather purse by your side
to be summoned
given to the ushers passing by in the aisle
stopping at each pew
dressed in uniformed white
and when it was time
your soul would be placed on the collection plate
adding to others
presented at the alter
and given back to Him
your lamp light
always filled with fresh oil
burning brightly each night on the front porch
just in case He came to call during off hours
and off you went to sleep
but this night
your soul heard the doorbell ring
an usher dressed in uniformed white
finally reached your pew
and without hesitation
you reached
and retrieved your soul from the brown leather purse
sitting by your side
and gently placed it inside the collection plate
with all the others
to be presented at the alter
and given back to Him
a cheerful giver you are
no ten percent of the whole of your soul as a tithe
an offering above that ten percent
but all if it
worn
tired
tattered
well travelled
He will make it brand new
shiny and sparkling as it once was in the days of your youth
cool rivers
trees of ripe fruit
all you needed to do was
place it on the collection plate
and pass it on to the usher at the end of the aisle
to be presented at the alter with all the others
and given back to Him
this night
you would lay your head down to sleep
and this night
your soul was called upon for Him to keep
there was no need to text us
no advanced notice to be shared
we know where you are
we know whose you are
and in visiting the day after
noticing your brown leather purse by the bedside
zipper open
searching its contents
and finding a soul missing
