Monday, June 18, 2012


Beat Is Beatitude

(after Jesus in Matthew 5:3-11 & Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac:
“Beat doesn’t mean tired, or bushed, so much as it means beato, the Italian for beatific: to be in a state of beatitude, like St Francis, trying to love all life, trying to be utterly sincere with everyone, practicing endurance, kindness, cultivating joy of heart.”) 

Blessed are
            the beat down, broke down
            rock bottom, belly up
            hung over & hopeless or
            strung-out, stretched-thin,
stoned, drunk & desperate
For yours will be heavenly when
            the healing comes

Blessed are
            the eyes-red, grandma dead
            brother locked-up in the fed, angry-lonely
            in the head, another man
            in your darling’s bed –
            for comfort – and I’m not
            talkin’ about that Southern Comfort—
            God’s comfort is coming for you

Blessed are
            the nerds & nobodies
            who never got picked first in sports,
            who never got asked out on dates,
            who never thought anyone noticed,
            that always did the next right thing
            blessed are you & all this bounty is your reward

Blessed are
            the low-blood sugar, haven’t eaten all day,
            worked & weary
            hungry for hamburgers & hot dogs or a home-cooked
            meal of any kind,
            blessed is that ravenous appetite when focused on love
            for you will be fed some soul food,
            some of the best greens & cornbread & BBQ around
  
Blessed are
            the big-hearted & mind-blowingly gentle & chill folks
            who don’t judge & just give love
            because love gives & just gives again
            loves loving in a loving way

Blessed are
             the people that purge their power trips &
            ego grips & cleanse the clutter of their souls to see
            the soft love that liberates all
            by letting go

Blessed are
            the peacenik, pacifist, ban-the-bomb, tree-hugger types
            & blessed are all the types of people that hate
            the peacenik, pacifist, ban-the-bomb, tree-hugger types –
            may they sit down for some sweet tea & apple pie &
            pray the rosary until the road to war
            ends in God’s group hug of all humanity

Blessed are
            the picked on, kicked around, bullied, beleaguered, & teased—
            outcast & misfit & misunderstood—
            for you are just like Jesus
            who took the bullying for all of us &
            broke through the bully consciousness
            of the world to show us
            the kingdom of God


—Andrew William Smith
October 2010, Cookeville, TN