When Anthony Preaches

When Anthony preaches, he goes to the beaches
Converting all the fish who can’t make it to church.
They swarm up to listen, adrip and aglisten
The trout and the minnow, the pike and the perch.

“Treat all as your brother; don’t murder each other
For all of God’s creatures are children alike.”
What a marvelous spirit; the minnows all cheer it.
They whisper and glare at the murderous pike.

“The root of all evil, great tool of the devil
Is love of possessions-you’d best do without.”
What a marvelous spirit; the pike love to hear it
And cast a stern eye on the miserly trout.

“Work hard. Those who idle will bear harsh requital,
Who shirks all his labors gets left in the lurch.”
What a marvelous spirit; the trout just revere it,
They nudge one another and mutter “Those perch!”

“Eschew fornications and lawless relations
For sex unrestrained leads to sorrow and tears.”
What a marvelous spirit; the perch love to hear it.
They glance at the minnows with snickers and sneers.

The saint ends his preaching; the fish love such teaching.
They watch as his figure recedes from the shore.
Then greed, lust and slaughter resume in the water
And all is exactly the same as before.

-Michael Nibley