Belong Be Love
Come as you are, that's how I want you,
Come as you are, feel quite at home,
Come to my heart, loved and forgiven
Come as you are, why stand alone?
Come as you are, Britney
that's how I want you, Peter Kennedy
Come as you are, Geoffrey Robinson
feel quite at home, Michael Morwood
Come to my heart, loved and forgiven
Come as you are, why stand alone?
No need to fear, nameless and hungry
love sets no limits, rapist and pedophile
No need to fear, itinerant, broken
love never ends, pretender and bankrupt
Don't run away, Catherine Deveney
ashamed and disheartened, Andres Serrano
Rest in my love, K. D. Lang
trust me again, Germaine Greer
I came to call sinners, Mother Teresa
not just the virtuous, Hans Kung
I came to bring peace, Adolf Hitler
not to condemn, Ben Cousins
Each time you fail, to live by my promise
Why do you think, I'd love you the less?
Come as you are, Marilyn Manson
that's how I love you, George Bush
Come as you are, John Kerr
trust me again, Gough Whitlam
Nothing can change, Pope Benedict
the love that I bear you, George Pell
All will be well, Julian
Just come as you are
Come as you are, Benedict
that's how I love you, Gough
Come as you are, George
trust me again, John
Nothing can change, Marilyn
the love that I bear you, George
All will be well, Julian
Just come as you are ...
–Marlene Marburg
Adapted. Deirdre Brown 'Come As You Are' ©
somewhere a church
somewhere a church
who accepts silence,
remembers before
all was spoken
from meandering minds,
who doesn't know about crying
rooms
a church grateful for being
together simply
a church who tolerates hell
breaking loose
still glad to be
family
there is a church
who opens her arms
to divorcees,
welcomes
rainbows
yobbos and yuppies
and studs and tatts
and me
at the shared meal
a church who knows
her own addiction
his own dissension
who loves
the disgraced
with prodigal grace
somewhere a church
grateful for being
together simply
–Marlene Marburg
The Presbyterian Pump
Who needs Hare Krishna or Hatha Yoga
Druidic robes or Buddhist butter yellow toga
Gregorian chanting or ayatollahs ranting
when you are born to a creed that has all you need
and nothing more.
Ain't that what religion is for?
Forget the mosques and synagogues
the bribery of kings and demagogues,
the cathedrals glorious with spires victorious
so full of gold and priceless and old
the doors need locks —
nobody robs a bare wooden box.
What's the use of Sanskrit mantras,
or Hindu shakti bahkti mudra or tantra,
Tibetan mandalas and Viking Valhallas,
prayer-wheels that you spin and penance for your sins —
it's gilding the lily,
and anything more than just plain is just plain silly.
Do you think that Zen koans will still your mind
or sitting pretzel-legged in a frozen