Mantis Religiso

A Praying Predator

 

 

 

 

 

Spikes on limbs hidden from view,

Hands raised, as if in deep prayer,

Solicits its victims with appearances of faith,

Then grabs them and chews on head.

Not a word, nor bells that toll its message,

Only a quiet crunch that fills the dread,

The mantis, god's creation and feigned worshiper,

Induces faith like a masked messenger.

Green camouflage like colors of the earth,

Body as twigs on homes like trees,

Eyes that views multiple meals on wings,

Sudden deathlike grips that kills in embrace.

Breathes through its pores like passions,

Makes no bed of grass for its sexual splendors,

But speaks of love like honeyed starlight,

Spinning its wings like hearts a fluttering.

Did the creator name you his congregation,

Hold the mass for your continued propagation

Or did he call you the preying automoron,

An object of creation that abhorres the living heart?

Beware the will of the human love,

For therein is found its quality of discernment.

He will capture your falsehood with nets of gold,

And put to the wing your avaricious ghoul.

Reviews

[Leslie Philibert]

A clever look at an animal that creates a whole range of images.What I like about the
poem is that you work steadily through your theme with a fine range of poetic energy.Well done.