Lines on the Death of John Paul II

"No Popery" Ian Paisley cried,
and now that John Paul II has died
there is no Pope,
so can we hope
for Protestants with peace inside?

Nope.
They just can't cope
without a Pope.
The Papists want a Papacy
and Paisley needs an enemy.
Without a Pope
they'd all just . . . mope.

It makes you think:
what if it pushed them off the brink
what if it made them turn to drink
or even . . . turn to dope?

Might be a blessing in disguise.
Imagine if the smokes that rise
above deliberations
(as they all grope
for a new pope)
should indicate a wider scope
for toleration?

What if the newly chosen Pope,
red-eyed, and quoting Rattigan
loped lazily around the Vatican
flashing the peace sign,
Oh yeah. Wow. Yeah. Fine.

But that could be a slippery slope
No-one would want a hippy Pope
We should not hope
for a doped pope;
temptation, get thee hence.
But could we simply go for one
that has a well developed sense
of fun?


(c) Richard Lawson
M4
7.4.05
[NB This poem has been submitted to the Home Office to ensure that it complies with incoming religious offence legislation]