<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-kerning: none">Counting on Sunday<br>
<br>
He didn't have his<br>
Heart in his sermon.<br>
If he did, it didn't <br>
Show up in any enthusiasm<br>
In his voice.<br>
And I didn't have<br>
My restless soul<br>
In church.<br>
If I did, I wouldn't <br>
Have counted<br>
The 823 bricks<br>
On the wall.<br>
Outside one <br>
Of the 48<br>
Window panes<br>
Behind the 16<br>
White shutters<br>
That helped shade<br>
The sunlight<br>
Off the 11 crosses,<br>
2brass, 4 on cloth,<br>
1 on a plaque that's nailed<br>
To the rail that leads<br>
To the wooden one<br>
That's carved on the altar<br>
Just left of the<br>
Wooden one that holds<br>
The page numbers<br>
That face<br>
The one in concrete <br>
On the baptismal font<br>
That stands beside<br>
The organist<br>
Who is married <br>
To the preacher who<br>
Has a silver one<br>
Hanging around his neck<br>
As he speaks to<br>
10 women, 8 men<br>
And 4 children<br>
Who sit in <br>
21pews<br>
That hold 161 <br>
Hymn books<br>
Under 78 electric candles<br>
That shine on<br>
5 doorknobs<br>
And 2 flags <br>
That stand<br>
Over 11 eyeglasses,<br>
7 necklaces,<br>
2 flower arrangements,<br>
1 hair bow,<br>
1 bow tie,<br>
1 silver barrette,<br>
And a sermon<br>
In a pear tree.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-kerning: none"><br> - Margaret Vaughn </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 36px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-kerning: none"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>(poet laureate of Tennessee) </span></p>
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