In the Beginning

During a ceremonial fish gutting,
the local children swam through
the crab grass with fiberglass fins.
Spun glass appendages fastened securely.

The current can be a bitch,
but perception fares worse.

Adults ascended on a cedar platform,
raised above weathered tombstones.

The dais, a historical landmark, hosted
an orchestra’s wail while citizens smoked.

A distinguished looking man
raised his right arm toward the cloud
covered sky and relayed welcoming
from the heavens to the crowd.

The leatheriness of the man’s face,
standing atop the wooden stage, caused
a local animal rights group to heave buckets
of red, oil-based, paint upon his mug.

A wealth of facial hair did not help matters.

The cluster of people stood, watched
the man’s performance as if he were some
papal version of James Brown or David Bowie.

As the man danced in a triangle of fire
a little girl, with fiberglass wings, presented
a cake atop a white pillow to the man.

The heat from the man’s body melted
the frosting from the dessert.
The little girl reached into the cake and
removed a reptile of divinity.

Like how some religions drop the “O” from god,
the people swarmed to a blue-green Jesus lizard for

guidance and cosmic theological comfort