Peter Mayer

The Birthday Party

Peter Mayer


I saw the Buddha open up his eyes
One Sunday morning
Say he's invited to a party for Christ
And he must be going
He heaved himself up with a groan, standing slowly
Came down those steps of stone, and asked me
Where to catch the next train to Jerusalem

In India he sang with Hindus as they prayed
By the Ganges when the dawn came
Near Arabia, he saw Mohammed on the train
And asked if he would join him
Passing those teeming towns, they talked for hours
All about the truth and how it's discovered
Trading bits of news and stories from these thousand years

Saying "great idea, this party for Jesus"
Then Mohammed said "hey Buddha, it's great to see ya"

Finding the place with the help of Abraham
Waving from the doorway
They greeted faces from a thousand holy lands
Present day and all ages (always)
Everybody talking, laughing, fiercely debating
Saying how desperately the world is changing
Then somebody lit the two-thousand candles

And they all toasted Jesus, born in a stable
Then Jesus said "hey, let's not be such strangers"