Not With A Bang Poem by gershon hepner

There’s room enough, I’ve heard,
to let religion live,
but if you don’t know what occurred
when life began
you’re not my man,
for science won’t forgive
religion’s sloppy thinking
when claiming that the u-
niverse, which isn’t shrinking,
began not with a bang,
but with God’s kind harangue
to light when it broke through.

Inspired by John Mellenkamp’s son “Our Country, ” which he has asked John McCain not to play in his rallies (John Edwards used to do so) because he is a Democrrat.

Well I can stand beside
Ideals I think are right
And I can stand beside
The idea to stand and fight
I do believe
There's a dream for everyone
This is our country

There's room enough here
For science to live
And there's room enough here
For religion to forgive
And try to understand
All the people of this land
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

That poverty could be
Just another ugly thing
And bigotry would be
Seen only as obscene
And the ones that run this land
Help the poor and common man
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

The dream is still alive
Some day it will come true
And this country it belongs
To folks like me and you
So let the voice of freedom
Sing out through this land
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

From the east coast
To the west coast
Down the Dixie Highway
Back home
This is our country

2/5/08