A Stronger String

 

“Don’t cast your pearls before swine.” 

Sacred wisdom, I discarded.

Was I the pearl or the pig?

Or neither?

 

I felt the string ripped from my neck.

Each pink pearl bounced to the ground.

 

“If you do, they may trample them under their feet.”

How valuable were these compressed pieces of calcium carbonate?

If I noticed their luster, I would have not revealed my throat.

 

Scanning the soles of my feet,

I gather these cheapened pearls.

They are marked-up minerals, still intact.

 

I thread them on a stronger string

A friend clasps the clip

 

Words Aren’t Weightless 

 

“Sticks and stones may break my bones 

But words will never hurt me”

Tell that to the lasting tone of a stone

Their syntax sticks

My inner structures are brittle

Hollow bones like a bird

Words aren’t weightless

They fly away from prepositions and predicates

Subjected phrases, objectifying subjects

Making nests in empty spaces

 

Listen

 

Everything is loud, until you listen.

If you couldn’t speak, what would you do?

What would you notice?

The miracles of Christ or Christ?

Hume said, “The Son of David’s miracles are not probable.”

Was Hume deaf or dumb?

Because I heard yesterday,

“You can’t apply probability to intentional events.”

Hume must be wrong or maybe he had devils too.

Instead, I watch and listen.

I notice David’s Son saying, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Open your ears. Are you listening?

I can’t speak, but I cry, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.”

The devils laugh out of my mouth.

I did not notice, until I did.

Sheep without a shepherd, listen.

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