Dressed in his finest $11,000 suit,

He cut a fine figure standing in the

Pulpit invited to read the Lectionary

Which he prefaced with a smile and the

Explanation that hell was but an ancient

Construct to indicate the just

Punishment of murderers, rapists, and

Drug dealers like those in the city.

While his classmates were protesting

And cities were burning; while

Children were dying in villages

Blanketed with napalm, and the 

Dark-skinned young men were locked in cages,

He was devising a plan, a very

Practical plan, to become rich.

Top preparatory school, then

Prestigious university where he

Wore suit and collegiate tie and joined the

Young Republicans until he was 

Accepted at the well-known

School of Business.

MBA in hand, office in Manhattan,

Owning his own firm, house in

Connecticut, train to the city,

Two-thousand-dollar shoes,

Trips to Europe, sports cars,

Summer place on Martha’s Vineyard,

Power yacht, world tours, 5-star resorts,

Six-hundred-dollar bottles of wine in

The wine cellar; million-dollar

Art on the wall.

A fund-raiser for charities that serve the

Elite – galleries and Ivy League, his

Name on the sides of buildings designed by

The latest architectural phenom 

All American success, fine Christian man,

A life without purpose, self-absorbed, 

Self-seeking, emptiness 

void, lacking compassion

Never noticing begging

Lazarus, nor his sores being

Licked by dogs.

A life without love.

A life without God.

Outer darkness.

Wailing. Wailing. Wailing.

Alone.