on the first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
an Ayatollah on a prayer spree
on the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
two Franciscan nuns
and an Ayatollah on a prayer spree
on the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
three pale Jains
two…
on the fourth day…
four Sunni Kurds
three…
on the fifth day…
five Orthodox Greeks
four…
on the sixth day…
six Wiccans spelling
five…
on the seventh day…
seven Sufis spinning
six…
on the eighth day…
eight Quakers shaking
seven…
on the ninth day…
nine Pandits chanting
eight…
on the tenth day…
ten Jews a–wailing
nine…
on the eleventh day…
eleven Baptists bathing
ten…
on the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me
twelve Rastas reefing
eleven Baptists bathing
ten Jews a-wailing
nine Pandits chanting
eight Quakers shaking
seven Sufis spinning
six Wiccans spelling
five Orthodox Greeks
four Sunni Kurds
three pale Jains
two Franciscan nuns
and an Ayatollah on a prayer spree
johnpoetflanagan 
this is even better than the original…big smile!
Happy it made you smile, Holly.
Big hugs
John
Hugs John, hope your day is going beautifully.
Love the Sufis spinning and the wiccans spelling. Another big smile here!
Thank You, Gina.
Best to You always
John
amazing – “The 12 Days of Christmas” is a collection of twelve daily Christmas devotionals of Christmas spirit!
The 12 Days of Christmas topics include:
• Day One – The Greatest Christmas Gift
• Day Two – Laugh with Immanuel
• Day Three – Wonderful Impossibilities
• Day Four – Make Room for More
• Day Five – Not Alone at All
• Day Six – Come as a Child
• Day Seven – A Christmas Candle
• Day Eight – Pleasing in Your Sight
• Day Nine – Eternal Glory
• Day Ten – Forgiveness Focuses Forward
• Day Eleven – Hindsight
• Day Twelve – God Will Direct
“Eight Quakers shaking” and “three pale Jains” are congruent me thinks! A humorous departure on a classic John.
I knew it would appeal to your great sense of humour
Jon, My Friend
Ever Your Friend
John
Ha-ha ! I think this is one to sing in chapel on sunday 🙂
Thank You, Amber
For the great comment.
Best Wishes
John
Wow John ! Amazing ! Xx
Meg,
Thank You
Best Always
John
It certainly will be a religious holiday for you, John! Great fun…
Great comment, Cynthia!
And I expect it’ll be very noisy too but then the Rastas might calm the house.
Big hugs
John
so very clever…
Thank You
Gavin
Best Wishes
John
Brilliant! I have removed the star from the top of my imaginary Christmas tree and replaced it with your poem. Nothing can surpass!
Wishing you all the best in this glorious time of irreverence…..🎶🎵\(°^°)/🎵🎶….;-)
Love your response, LOVE it!
Thank You, Robyn.
My best to you
John
You’re very welcome, John, and all the best to you too
Robyn
Filled with irreverent wit, John, this is a great ditty. It made me smile whilst also reflecting on the damage, pain and suffering inflicted on us all by organised religion. I admire the way that your writing achieves that. Cheers. Chris.
Thank You, Chris
thank you very much.
Best always
John
Very clever indeed,, I could have used this on my 12 days series heehee!
Glad you enjoyed it
and Thank You
Best to You
John
😀 you bring smile to my Saturday! Loving it John! This would be the adult version. Are you going to sing it along? 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
Friend Indah
happy indeed you liked this little bit of ‘madness’
I expect the house to be busy over the season.
Big hugs
John
I hope everybody could be happy, in any religion… but I can’t understand why in the world are so many religions, many times they create hates and wars…I’m agnostic…though I respect all them, I’ve visited many places with different religions and in the places I behaved with respect.
OOOOOXXXXX for you may dear friend!
Thank You
Dear Rosa
for this fine comment, thoughtful and sensitive.
Abrazos fuertes
John
Sharp wit, John, and an LOL for me! I am particularly taken with Sufis spinning and, living in the US South, Baptists bathing. You were really on top of this!
Noelle,
I’m very grateful for your fine remarks.
Thank You.
Big hugs
John
Clever man! 😀 😀 😀
Kate,
Thank You.
Big hugs
John
Ha! Ha! Brother John You’ve made my day. Love the last stanza!
Thank You, Brother David
and happy it made you laugh.
Best always
John
Works best when sung.
I can hear you singing, Alicia,
And such a lovely voice!
Best Wishes
John
Oh my gosh, this is gold! Someone needs to make this an actual song with music and singing, it’s that excellent! haha! Great work John!
Best wishes!
Ry
Happy you liked it, Ry,
and
Thank You
for the very generous compliments.
My best always
John
Reblogged this on momentarylapseofsanity.
Thank You very much for the re-blog,
much appreciated.
Best to You
John
John, this is the best gift ever! Most festive! Your humor had me laughing out loud, thank goodness there are not 30 days of Christmas, or I would not be able to get up off the floor. Oh, what a creative mind you have, still laughing, I love it! Please enjoy our holidays!
Warm wishes,
Pepperanne
Pepperanne,
You’re a true blue!
So happy it made you laugh.
Best to You always
John
You have the holiday spark! Well done, John! So original 🙂
Thank You,
Dear Christy
thank you so much.
Big hugs
John
Wonderful and wicked. Such talent!
Harry
Harry,
Thank You
john
Hmm, what a good Christmas song that could make. If only someone had thought of it. lol
Hugs
Thank you, David,
thank you very much
Best to You and big hugs
john
Um, it actually “sings” well – ah, man – there goes the original down the gurgle
I can hear you singing
Dear Ina..and such a lovely voice!
Thank You.
Big hugs
John
Great fun, John! Have a joyful week. ~Dennis
Thank You, Dennis
And a joyful week to You
Love and Peace
John
Love this, John. Now I have to go look up “Pandit.” Really hilarious and makes a good deal more sense than the original it parodies! Judy
Such a lovely, supportive comment, Judy.
Thank You.
My best to You
John
Aha! I wondered if “pandit” might be a typo for “pundit” and I find they are synonyms. Nice to learn something new every day…Thanks for my new word…Judy (y feliz navidad.)
Beautiful and I love the progression on this poetic retelling, dear John.
Best wishes to you. Aquileana 😀
Aquileana
Thank you for this generous response.
Abrazos fuertes
John
heeheeheehee! Oh man, you’re priceless!!
So much fun, John, loved it!!
Love this. Great idea and love the way you execute it. Happy Christmas.