Fat Tuesday Word Jazz

By Jim Burklo

Fat Tuesday
Ash Wednesday
Cash Tuesday
Crash Wednesday
Mardi Gras Tuesday
Hangover Wednesday
New Orleans Superbowl Victory Tuesday
Depressing Economic Indicators Wednesday
Barack Obama Hope and Change Tuesday
Sarah Palin Tea Party Wednesday
Reunited a foster care kid with her family Tuesday
But the family fell out homeless on Wednesday
Passed progressive legislation Tuesday
Saw it get de-funded Wednesday

In order to be realistic
Must we be so dualistic?
Could Tuesday be more lean
So Wednesday was less mean?
Boom plus bust divided by two
I'm cool with average - how 'bout you?
Ain't there a way to soften the blow
When the economy loses its go go go?
When the going finally gets this rough
Why should life for kids be tough?
Are they to blame for blatant greed?
So why are they the ones to bleed?
Bailed-out banker gets the bonus
Poor folks have to bear the onus
No grease for wheels you can't hear squeak
Who speaks for those who cannot speak?

Fat Tuesday
Ash Wednesday
Tuesday jammin'
Feast then famine
Tuesday: bent
Wednesday: Lent
There's a fly in the ointment, a bug in the mixture
Something's terribly wrong with this picture

So swing the beads and rock the rafter
Justice is what we are after
Bring balance to what's out of whack
On Wednesday let's bring Tuesday back
Let's spread the wealth we all can make
On Wednesday let's eat Tuesday's cake

Fat Tuesday,
Ash Wednesday
Denial Tuesday,
Depression Wednesday
Gotta resist 'em!
Gotta change this system!
Vote and write and wave your signs
Get other folks to change their minds
So that the little engine on Tuesday says I think I can
And the little engine on Wednesday says I thought I could
Get over the mountain of despair
Finally get from here to there
To decent schools and good health care
To homes for the houseless everywhere
Counseling for struggling families
And credit for little companies

So sing a song and hoist your glass
Howl and holler and shake your ass
Here's to tighter Tuesdays
And weightier Wednesdays... Amen!

Reprinted with permission from the blog Musings at The Center For Progressive Christianity.

Jim Burklo is an ordained United Church of Christ pastor who serves as the Associate Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California. He is the author of Birdlike And Barnless: Meditations, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians (2008) and Open Christianity: Home By Another Road (2000). Jim regularly blogs at The Center for Progressive Christianity.