After this strange candy

In our broken paradise,

We fumble for a leaf

That won’t tickle, itch, or sting.

Fear stalks through the garden

We’re trembling with dread–

Who knows if God will

Thunder, freak, or scream?

The snake claims he’s our friend, 

But you know he always fibs.

Willow weeps her golden tears,

As orchid’s petals fall.

All we hoped from wisdom

In our bankrupt innocence

We’ve lynched with barbed-wire noose

In a bathroom stall.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Unbite that poisoned mouthful,

And hang it on a twig.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Yes, we took a nibble,

But it wasn’t very big.

If we could do it over,

If God would let it slide–

We’d be glad to greet Him,

Instead of run and hide.

Somebody, put the apple back.

We tried to climb to heaven,

But we couldn’t find the stairs–

And Buddha’s elevator

Spins madly, badly broke.

We’re staggering for the basement,

As the sirens fill our ears–

The mall fills up with

Choking, blinding smoke.

Those cheap rings and the lip gloss

You slipped into your jeans

Smolder like a coal

Against your thigh.

You knew you could have bought them,

You’re a junkie for a thrill,

With an afternoon to kill

Before you die.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Unbite that poisoned mouthful,

And hang it on a twig.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Yes, we took a nibble,

But it wasn’t very big.

If we could do it over,

If God would let it slide–

We’d be glad to greet Him,

Instead of run and hide.

Somebody, put the apple back.

We’re riding this slow bus, Lord,

Making our way home–

Stinking now of perverts

And the pigs.

This highway spins toward chaos,

And the thorn curses our ground.

Our Hope lies in a tomb

He didn’t dig.

The great slab’s sealed and bolted,

And the guards have guns besides–

But this Easter egg

Is set to hatch.

In the rumble and the rubble,

As towers crack and fall,

Could it be salvation

That we’ll snatch?

Somebody, put the apple back.

Unbite that poisoned mouthful,

And hang it on a twig.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Yes, we took a nibble,

But it wasn’t very big.

If we could do it over,

If God would let it slide–

We’d be glad to greet Him,

Instead of run and hide.

Somebody, put the apple back.

But clocks do not wind backward,

What’s done is set in stone.

Heaven drops a rescue rope,

And dogs snap at the bone.

We’ll trade our bling for glory,

And our skins for air besides–

If God just finds a way

To get us home.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Unbite that bitter mouthful,

And hang it on a twig.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Yes, we took a nibble,

But it wasn’t very big.

If we could do it over,

If God would let it slide–

We’d be glad to greet Him,

Instead of run and hide.

Somebody, put the apple back.

After this strange candy,

We’re looking rather green.

When we try to whisper,

We just hiss.

We’ve all grown rather scaly

In our fig leaf underwear.

Who imagined it would

Come to this?

We call God on our cell phone,

And pray that somebody’s there.

But it just keeps on ringing–

No one’s home.

His hand rests on our shoulder,

Its bubbling in this heat–

But He knows the way.

He hears each word we say.

Lord, You are the way.

We’re not alone.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Unbite that poisoned mouthful,

And hang it on a twig.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Yes, we took a nibble,

But it wasn’t very big.

If we could do it over,

If God would let it slide–

We’d be glad to greet Him,

Instead of run and hide.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Somebody, put the apple back.

Somebody, put the apple back.

c2010 by Skip Johnson

All rights reserved