What Happened?

In an age
When ancient symbols
Have been trivialized
Commercialized
And scandalized
The moorings of faith
Are pained
And strained.

This cross hanging
Around my neck
Identifies me as
A disciple.
But to any stranger
It may suggest
I am a bad boy
Thug
A self-centered narcissist.

What happened?

In historic cultures
Theology mastered art
Providing framework
For mind and heart.

Today
Theology and serious thought
Are dusty and irrelevant.

What remains
Are tarnished crosses
At resale dins
And unused Bibles
In garage sale bins.

When society
Holds nothing dear
All I want
Is out of here.