Written and Delivered By Rev. K. Karpen,
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, United Methodist Church,
New York City
Occupy Wall Street
October 23, 2011
Had a form to fill out
The other day
And I couldn’t figure out
Just what I should say.
There was a blank on one side
Labelled‘occupation’
And it put me in mind
Of this whole situation.
I had a fantasy
Of just putting Yes!
As I sat there brooding
In my deep distress.
Yes, I’m with the Occupation
Yes, I’ve been downtown
Yes, I showed up
Yes, I looked around.
But what’s my occupation?
So many people have no work
Or they don’t get fair pay
Or they get treated like a jerk.
‘Pastor’ sounded too precious
‘Clergy’ sounded too quaint
And ‘Methodist Minister’
Sounds like something I ain’t.
When I looked at “occupation”
I wanted to write, Yes!
Wanna know what I do?
I want to help fix this mess!
I stand with the Occupation
I want to do my part
I want to lend it my voice
I want to give it my heart
Cause there’s just one occupation
According to the Bible
What should occupy your heart
According to the Bible?
What should occupy your soul?
What should occupy your mind?
Nothing but love!
Nothing but love!
Next time someone tells me:
‘Write occupation above’
I’ll know what to write
I’m gonna just write ‘Love.’
I’m gonna love my God
By loving my neighbor
What it comes down to it
That’s what we’re here for.
So we’re standing here
With the 99%
Those whose money’s all spent
Those who can’t pay the rent
Those whose spirits are bent
Whose last check got sent
They don’t know where it went!
Now they don’t have a cent.
So we’re at this event
To raise a voice in dissent
To tell the people in charge
That it’s time to repent!
We join this occupation
Cause we care about this nation!
And we want transformation
For this whole situation.
So next time you sit
With a form that’s all blank
You’ll know what to write
And you’ll have me to thank!
When it asks your ‘occupation’
Your pen won’t need to hover
Jesus tells us what to be:
So just write ‘Lover!”
