Poetry Thursday

Alba Hosea, reformed

she has been raised to fear God
and does, until it no longer matters

when the world takes her in as she is
she folds up her heart, hngs it on a string

around her neck with other miracles:
sand dollars, a vial of Jordan River water

she sleeps with prophets and soldiers
taming nausea with ginger root

helping others to rise up from bondage
but not convinced of her own need.

strung out sometimes, she is made
of thin wire, slipping down drainpipes,

rabbit holes, on banana peels to learn
everybody struggles with false gods

but only the real ones win at the last
and croquet is hardly ever involved.