Walking the Hedge

Build you up to tear you down

Spitting on their heroes

Tearing you part

Then holding their hands out

What the hell do they

Think that they doing anyway?

*

They say toughen up and deal

If you want to be our leader

Then harden up your heart

And don’t take it oh so hard

Do they not understand?

Can they not comprehend?

It is that very soft spot

That giant loving heart

That makes you willing and able

To be a Pagan leader

*

They say it’s all trade off

Part and parcel for the fame

As if you were Madonna

Riding around in a private plane

*

Why do they do it?

What could be their reasons?

Do they think that they are

Doing the community a service?

Are they stroking their own egos?

Riding on your coat tails?

Or do they just want to see you suffer?

*

Making two whole dollars

For each and every book sale

Speaking at the festival

And getting paid with peanuts

Isn’t all that easy

When you have mouths to feed

*

Buying up a property

Organizing a gathering

Taking out a second mortgage

Promoting and volunteering

Working when you could be

Spending time with the kids

*

And then the people show up

And they have so much fun

Then toss a bag of chips

Out the window on their way out

Leaving you to clean the litter

*

They say you can take it

Even if you hate it

Take the heat and love it

Or get your Pagan ass

Out of the kitchen

*

I can’t help but wonder

How long they could do it?

Would they last a week running fest?

Or teaching a class?

Could they handle all the slander?

From those they are serving?

I know that I am dying

To see them dying inside

And know how it feels

To be hand that’s feeding

Only to be bitten

*

They pick and they snipe

Argue and criticise

Gossip and spread rumours

Then expect you to give them

Everything for nothing

*

They only want what they want

Never mind what they need

Tow the party line

And you must tell them only

What they want to hear

Remember to always cater

To the lowest common denominator

*

Don’t expect them to think

Don’t ask them to examine

Their very own beliefs

Just spout New Age bullshit

That’s all they want anyways

*

And then some day they wonder

Where did all our leaders

Disappear to?

Where have they gone?

What caused the burnout?

Why did they leave us

Hanging in the wind?

*

So why even bother?

What’s the point of doing it?

Why spend back breaking hours?

And waste hard earned money?

And take time off from work?

*

They obviously

Do not deserve it

Respect it or want it

Anyways!

*

Do it for the father

Who hands his teenager

A book on Pagan ethics

*

Do it for the girl who

Is learning about the Goddess

And how to love the body in the mirror

*

Do it for the baby

Sitting in the Circle

Nawing on an acorn

*

Do it for the men who

Carved the Greenman in churches

The herbalists and midwives

Burned for being “witches”

*

Do it for the gods

Who want only to be

A part of our lives

*

Do it for a culture

Steeped in hate and ignorance

Arrogant and proud

Do it

To turn it into something

Worth living in

*

Do it for the planet

Our most sacred Mother

The rocks and the trees

The animals and bees

*

Do it to spite

Those narrow-minded idiots

Who never think to say

Thank you

Or please

*

So be a Pagan leader

Work your fingers to the bone

Expose your bleeding heart

Protect and serve

Give everything you’ve got

Give them all that you are

*

And when they bitch and moan

Just smile and tell them

Congratulations!

You just volunteered!

*

*

(Mmmmmm that’s good satire!)

Related posts:

1. Repost: Be A Pagan Leader
2. Pagan Values: A Pagan Community Statment on Sexual Ethics
3. Regarding Pagan Clergy