JIMMY TOOK THE HIT by Lawrence Miles (New York, 54)

The evangelists were getting louder
bending the ears of presidents
but at the same time
the backlash was growing

They needed a sacrifice
so lots were drawn
and they chose Bakker
he was too loud
And they didn’t like his wife

So they sent a temptress his way
and he fell
and everyone focused their eyes on him
​
All his accumulated wealth
the power of God through success
through positive thinking
through investing your hard earned dollars
so he could spread Jim’s word
disguised as His word
it was all over

​Jerry looked down on him
the other Jimmy looked down on him
the disciples looked down on him
he lost his show
he sold his theme park to Jerry
his wife left him
he went to jail

Then the other Jimmy messed up
got caught with a woman
only he was caught up in his own pleasure
so he went to his pulpit and cried
and cried
and cried some more
and after his forgiveness was granted
he went away

Even Jerry seemed to disappear for a while
before returning as legit
and now his son runs a university
that keeps attracting presidents

Jimmy came back
not as a preacher but as a
snake oil salesman

The other Jimmy asked forgiveness
and they forgave him
and now his son preaches
right beside him
and the 700 club never went off the air
and Pat is still around
and I’m sure Oral’s son is still on the air
and then Joel got on the air
and the infestation was complete
and the sinners were forgiven
as long as they served the greater purpose

Imagine
if you could do anything you want
knowing you would be forgiven
if not by God
than by your fellow man
who blame the sin and not the sinner

Would you
take the hit?





​Lawrence Miles is a 54 year old male poet living in White Plains, NY.  He has recently been published in Poets Live Fourth Anthology, 2022 New Generation Beats Anthology and Four Feathers
Press' Sounds of Southern California: Poetry of Music.