it’s the same story
an offer of salvation
while your pocket’s picked
you
no doubt
have been warned
this is not manhattan
and
these
quaint savages
are not
lost souls
waiting for salvation
from you
or
anyone else
and though
you
see flesh
covering their bones
their
soul’s skin
has been stripped
of humanity
by
givers
of
freedom
and
sunday-school truths
givers
who
really prefer
a gated community
in
some place
like
the hollywood hills
so
go ahead
visit
the local schools
share photos
pass out
the bible-of-the-week
or
offer up
a welfare trinket
or two
but
be careful
not to wonder
into
the jungle
alone
Any advertisement on this page that is not directly related to my publications ( see left hand column) is done so without my endorsement or approval.
digital decoupage cwmartin
now
brother jones
has found
salvation
well
that’s what
he’s been saying
all week
though i do believe
i saw him leaving
a strip club
down on central
around midnight
in the company
of someone
other
than his wife
as i left work
but
he’s
been proclaiming
to
everyone
he meets
that he’s
truly
found salvation
but
aunt bea
told me
that
she was
pretty certain
that it was
never
lost
digital decoupage cwmartin
sliding her hands
across the surface
of his thoughts
she felt him
tremble
as her eyes
probed deeper
than her words
grasping his bible
he retreated
from her doorway
promising salvation
but
unwilling
to enter in
to test the resolve
of his
own
beliefs
copyright cwmartin 2011
he’s a madman
don’t want
no canonization
just wants
his cheap wine
and a pack
of lucky strikes
all this talk
of salvation
has made him
make a proclamation
heaven is full
of useless saints
quite willing
to welcome you in
but
while earthly bound
you’re on your own
so he’d rather have
cheap wine
and a pack
of lucky strikes
don’t need no
door-to-door prophets
nor cartoons
depicting heaven
that no one’s seen
but he’s seen the news
while in the liquor store
’bout the state of the world
and
all the dire predictions
’bout most of mankind
and he’s seen
politicians come and go
making the same damn promises
everytime
sold
bought
and never delivered
to hapless voters
so he chooses
to be a madman
don’t need no canonization
just cheap wine
and a pack
of lucky strikes
Read Between the Minds 