The Annual Parish Retreat

Written in 1977, an attempt at satire or was it just frustration?

Well, my dear the out of town experts
Are conducting retreat
Our annual religious expression
They've driven for miles, isn't that a big clue
To bring a new message to me and to you
And stir our parish to fervor.

It's our once a year spiritual diversion
A week-end to ignore the kids
Our usual demur is not quite secure
Only Monday at nine will cure us.

It's so nice that the experts are ladies
Out of town ones are always so nice
They're experts on religious positions
A retreat lead by them is the life.

They shine and they smile kindly on us
Make us feel the whirl of good times
We goo and we gag we don't know we've been had
By a case of the week-end whirlies.

Well, the ladies are gone our parish is quiet
Things are back to their mundane routine
I'm used to the fact next year they'll be back
For another short term impression.