# Looking for poem about churches **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** poetry\ **Created:** [October 18, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728 "2023-10-18T00:58:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/1 "2023-10-18T00:58:55Z")
Years ago, I read a great poem in _The Best Loved Poems of the American People_. The narrator was talking about a conversation he had with a friend and the friend was bellyaching about the different churches he’d attended, saying why he left each one due to some problem with each of the churches. Finally, the narrator said to the friend, “Maybe it’s not the church”. Anyone know the title of this poem and also if it’s online. I’m having zero luck in finding it. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/2 "2023-10-18T01:15:51Z")
Was it [this?](https://nickvoss.wordpress.com/category/poetry/) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/3 "2023-10-18T01:20:03Z")
That’s not the one I remember, but I like it! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/4 "2023-10-18T02:04:48Z")
Sorry, I’ve got nothing so far. Can you remember anything else about it? Form? Style? Rough guess as to the period it was written? Long? Short? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/5 "2023-10-18T02:25:03Z")
Here’s a link to the book online, with previews of the pages…could be a lot to wade through, but maybe you’ll find the poem you’re looking for? > **[The Best Loved Poems of the American People](https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Best_Loved_Poems_of_the_American_Peo.html?id=_gEIT17q2esC)** > > These are the best loved poems of the American people -- poems that have delighted generations and entertained millions, whether recited in classrooms or enjoyed quietly at home by the fire. Included in the over 575 perennial works are all-time... ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/6 "2023-10-18T02:38:01Z")
I’ll give that a go. Perhaps my memory’s faulty and it really was the poem TOWP linked. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/7 "2023-10-18T02:48:11Z")
Hmmm. Besides Misnomer’s link, there’s a copy [online at archive.org.](https://archive.org/details/bestlovedpoemsof0000unse_e5e1/) It has [Edwin Markham’s “The Right Kind of People”](https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/right-kind-people) beginning on p. 66, which isn’t specifically about churches but has the same “the problem is you” basic theme. It also has [R.W. Glover’s “It Isn’t the Town, It’s You”](https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/it-isnt-town-its-you) beginning on p. 103. and the anonymously (and heavily) plagiarized variant “It Isn’t the Church, It’s You” beginning on p. 103, which is the same that TOWP found. I haven’t read every poem in the book, but I don’t think there’s any other that explicitly mentions churches and/or has that “the problem is you” theme. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/8 "2023-10-18T03:14:14Z")
Thanks everyone! Yes, it’s my memory which was at fault. Using **Misnomer** ’s link, looking through the entire table of contents, and entering the poem titles in a search, it’s definitely the poem which **TOWP** found. I’m grateful for the table of contents. My mother had that book when I was in middle school and I loved going through the book with her. I think I’m ruined for getting anything done this weekend as I’m going to be reading every one of the poems in the TOC. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/9 "2023-10-18T12:28:49Z")
Sounds like a great weekend to me! ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/10 "2023-10-18T14:55:25Z")
And here’s a link to the lyrics about a left wing version of the same problem, in the spirit of the Judean Peoples Front, [Bill Bailey, The Ultimate Sectarian, song lyrics](http://www.protestsonglyrics.net/Humorous_Songs/Bill-Bailey.phtml) ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/11 "2023-10-18T15:34:50Z")
Woah, I actually _helped_! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-poem-about-churches/991728/12 "2023-10-18T20:13:09Z")
I had ChatGPT write one for you: He tried the Catholic church one day But found the mass too long and dull He said he couldn’t stand to pray With all those candles and that skull He tried the Baptist church next week But found the sermon too loud and harsh He said he didn’t like to speak With all those sinners dunked in a marsh He tried the Lutheran church in town But found the music too old and slow He said he didn’t like the sound Of all those organs and that cello He tried the Pentecostal church nearby But found the service too wild and weird He said he didn’t want to cry With all those tongues and that beard He tried the Unitarian church last night But found the doctrine too vague and thin He said he didn’t see the light With all those questions and that grin He met a friend who knew his plight And offered him some sage advice He said you need to get it right The churches aren’t the problem, it’s you who’s not nice You see, you’re always looking for a flaw In every place you go and see You’re always judging what you saw And never looking at yourself honestly You need to find some peace within And stop your restless search for more You need to let God’s grace begin And open up your heart’s door Then you’ll see that every church is fine And has something good to offer you Then you’ll feel God’s love divine And join a church that’s true