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"Bible Leaf;
Costmary"
A precious herb were you Costmary,
For daily, weekly, your usage varied.
As a Bible Leaf, or for brewing
teas,
For repelling insects, or the stings of bees.
As a healing ointment once used by
Mary,
"Our Lady's Balsam" sweet Costmary.
To freshen rooms, or for parish
ales,
Fascinating facts, curious details.
Yet it was Sunday morning, Costmary
herb,
When your usage became a tad absurd.
It seems churchgoers your leaves
would use,
To nibble and chew while in their pews.
They'd nibble and chew then take a
whiff,
From your edges they'd get a sniff.
How pray tell did this custom
derive?
I'm not quite sure, lest to be revived.
Ah! Revival they sought, not the
Holy Ghost kind!
Seems your herbage was used to awaken the mind.
For the sermons were boring and long
those days,
And your precious leaves were one of the ways,
Faithful parishioners chose to use,
To fight a sleepy Sunday snooze.
Upon your edges they'd nibble and
chew,
What a peculiar thing to do.
They used your leaves to refresh
their mind,
And your minty flavor seemed to work just fine.
So, those who attended would mark
their way,
In the Bibles they carried they tucked away,
Your fragrant leaf as a bookmark to
use,
To ward off sleepy sermon blues.
Nestled safely in Bibles, clutched
tightly in palms,
To you precious Costmary we sing this psalm!
Dare say many would have nodded off
in the pew,
If it had not been for the blessing of you!
© 2005 by Dot McGinnis
"Seated in a window was a young man
named Eutychus,
who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead." Acts 20:9 |