Sep
15
Diamond Sutra
Filed Under poetry | Leave a Comment
An impossibly blonde Jesus steps
up to the Mudville plate
swinging his turnkey providence
knocking Calvary from his cleats
Rowdy boosters spill cola, rend their clothes,
shout in mysterious licorice tongues for this
unspeakable congress with the
sacred slugger
The pitcher wears an emerald snake
around her arm
she shakes off a sign or two
ignoring first the locusts, then
the burning bush
opting for the inside curve
Jesus mutters something pithy
to the squatter, blessing and
assuring him that his services
won’t be needed, as
this one’s going outta the park
But, caught in Magdalene’s wind-up
her shiver, her twist, her magical shibboleth
scored by tiny brass ankle bells singing
fire into his brain
he swings…
…high and inside
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Originally published in The Cortland Review, Issue 4