i want to study your lines of (division)
the trinities that make you (divine).
and when the Christian missionaries walk by us
i’ll ask them if they’ve heard of my god
have mercy on us
i’ll preach to them a gospel that’s
several languages away from me
offer them the various twisted translations
for we have sinned against you
ask questions that not even the most creative
of priests could answer
like:
who should i call when i’m reduced from a liquid to smoke?
i am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof
is purgatory as delicious as heaven?
and my favorite,
but only say the word
what does it mean to say I want to devour you?
to want to eat the skin from your bones
(between us) clearly, there is no meaning
and my soul shall be healed
i’ll offer the priests
our body and blood
which should
be consumed only
after nightly confession
(my most recent confession: last year
i abstained so this year i can devour)
so when the sun gorges on my neck
and the wind gnaws at my hair,
i’m reminded to bend at
the knee and make a saint out of collective You.
let us pray
in august, i demand the stars align
and fulfill my prophecy
the one where we break bread
and share wine
go in peace
thanks be to God
please sit across from me and let
my heart beat for You quietly
(please)
Writer | Chela Cunningham ’25 | ccunningham25@amherst.edu
Editor | Mel Arthur ’25 | marthur25@amherst.edu