The Builder

From Anthony Carelli's new book Carnations, which I am loving tonight...

The Builder

If I were called in to construct a religion
I would make use of lumber, and naturally
I would find the best lumber in the land.
There's no shame in wanting your religion
to last. If I'm building to accommodate the gods,
I figure the platform should be nice
and sturdy; the gods might be really heavy.
Besides, all kinds of people are sure to come
and climb all over it, wear the thing out.
Therefore, if I build in Wisconsin, I'll use oak;
in New England, ironwood. And in Parguay
I hear there's a flowering tree called lapacho
with wood so rigid and heavy it outlives men.
I'd like to get my hands on some of that.