.of crosses and bread.

God said I was built for higher altars
for callings other than
    savior—-
humility springs faith eternal,
maybe I will finally be unburdened
by this cross of love; I bear
wittness to
heart and hand grasping,
as if by reflex,
perplexed to the nature of touch;
surrendered

There is lesson in my lips,
leven in hips made to battle
the demons; from infancy
we are taught
to serve.

He spoke and said
there are beasts of Babylon
writhing; within me
God said there is Mecca,
holy land promised,
salvation,
cities of refuge,
deluged in the arks of my skin

Dear God,
this flesh becomes my cages
this body a prison
where dreams of freedom
chastise the covenant made;
to love
as myself;

If I loved unjustly
I did not know it.

This grace you say,
is born of breath
is that of stripping pulchritude,
left for dead,
dying nights
impoverished,
to suffer a famine
where there is no need for bread.