poetry

You tell me that I'm god to you,
But that you're also god
My divinity somehow insignificant
You deify my existence then shrink me back down in a single ragged breath
All I want from you is grace
You would know this if you came to sermon

My words are scriptures that you never care to read
My hopes and dreams, psalms that you will never know the words to
I am god of peace, purpose, and pleasure
You would know this if you prayed

You worship at the altar of my body but your offerings do not please me
You visit the temple of my mouth only to glorify yourself
But swear you've never felt so holy
I am a loving god
It's what I do

You soon grow bored of church and stop visiting all together
You cry out in indignation when you find chapel doors locked, lights off
You rattle doorknobs day and night until eventually, I concede
I am a loving god, after all
I give you what you ask for

When I let you in the doors, you bring destruction in your wake
Instead of repenting, you smash windows and strike matches
Filling the air with unholy smoke
You salt the soil and spit on the ground
You ruin what's sacred and holy forever

And the news stations come as the church burns down
People cry in the streets
"How could a loving god let this happen?"
"Why did god let this happen?"

O' godless cynic, o' divine demon of torment, answer me;
How did you convince them that this is my fault?
    

My body is a roadmap of every moment of my existence
Stretch marks cascade both hemispheres like cracks in soil crust
Lines span outward from my eyes, heavy footprints leading from the trading posts of joy
Grey hairs shine like silver daggers commemorating battles I haven't walked away from
Like any sacred ground, it is not without those trying to colonize it
They make plans to cut up the land and build highways through my womb with bridges leading to a life that is not mine
But the roaring river is not symmetrical and the open sky will never be petite and this land will never be yours for the taking
Every day I map these hallowed grounds a little more
Every day I'm learning to love every landform
Every plateau, mountain, hill, and crater
I am the world
And so are you
All together, we are the universe