contritions of the phoenix zine vantage points 2017 | Page 10

"hon, just remember the lord ain't gonna

give you nothin you can't handle!"

an interesting philosophy

something to snuggle up with by the fireplace

covered in soft cashmere

hair combed

teeth whitened

smelling of gardenias

this theory

this manner of determining how much shit one person can endure

a choir singing exemptions for social responsibility

a sweet honey of apathy

"i will be praying for you"

"it's just a test of faith"

"the glory of god on high"

lighting candles

kneeling

rubbing rosary beads until fingertips blister

acceptable incantations in ritual

absorbed consumed metabolized

"i believe in god, the father"

"full of grace"

"hail, mary, the lord is with thee"

blessed martyrs

blah the poor

friday's fish and sunday's hangover

the embodiment of god's grace

wearing rings of gold and chunks of teeth

the invisible palms of the omnipotent

throwing humanity under the bus

the new ra-horakhty living suspended

in the sky of the western horizon

refusing to mingle with the commoners

above

aloof

standoffish

hosting the dinner party

but refusing to welcome the guests at the door

only coming down to kick 'em in the ass on the way out

with a wink and nod

big brass bands

wide staircases of marble

walls dripping scarlet velvet

not really the place for street rats and gutter trash

squatters without water

those that can remind those that can't

sitting above it all sipping cognac

those of us not engulfed in holy flames

meager beggars at the door of heaven's mansion

guardian angels on your shoulder

-grace