a box of antipathy in a garden of what if's

a box of antipathy in a garden of what if's

 

 

crosses upon a shelf

the rosary reality

two Hail Mary's short of a bead of water

a droplet from a heaven's cloud

 

he is immersed in confusion

always knew his rain would come

but finds the drizzled parchment

bleeding words of stone

 

from a faith

he buried years ago

in the back yard of his parents' house

blocks from where he lies now (maybe to himself)

 

getting drenched in torrential

dust,

the red clay of morning

at his feet

 

a psalm pinching his cuff

the tie a bit crooked

hands folded,

he stares up at nothing

 

wondering if he really did

make his own bed,

and if roses would grow here

if he prayed hard enough.

 

 

erin-cilberto

3/25/15

Reviews

[Onlyme]

Very well said. Does religion and god save us or Do we save ourselves?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your thoughts, Dee...i think it is up to us.
j.

[barleygirl]

Your title is one of those thought-provoking lines I wish I could think up! And this line is also brilliant: “blocks from where he lies now (maybe to himself)” . . . and there are many more artful touches as you stretch your title imagery every which way and loose! This is very impressive! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Margie.
j.

[Paul Bell]

Never understood religion.
In saying that, I use God and Jesus in many different scenarios.
I suppose at the very end of life, you may ask forgiveness in the hope you go somewhere nice.
I suppose we really just don't know what life is.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

keen insights, Paul...and yes we all use religion in different ways...with different memories of what was instilled in us early on...
thank you.
j.

[Coyote Poetry]

I loved the words and thoughts. The ending was amazing.
"wondering if he really did
make his own bed,
and if roses would grow here
if he prayed hard enough."
I have asked the above questions often. Thank you Jacob for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for sharing your thoughts, Coyote..
j.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome Jacob.

[Chris Shaw]

I thank my catholic father and my methodist mother for letting us all find our own way. Not forcing religion on us, but allowing us time to discover or otherwise for ourselves. All churchgoers in our youth, but over time, of the view that what was taking place there, was not particularly forgiving or welcoming to all. I don't think I have ever had my prayers answered and have learned that what will be will be. Thought provoking poem Jacob. And yet there still lingers something .............

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience, Chris.

j.

[emmajoy]

When it comes to faith.. writing about it - that is, seems that writers uptip their own past experiences or professed once upon a time beliefs, Perhaps? Perhaps your 'he' is yet to discover the truth or either self of the Creator., But, surely not both? You inevitably write from a spectator's point of view, here, perhaps more than other posts you've shown your own cuff and tie.. Doubt, disclosure or merely hints of either or both, make for fine reading because we can walk in each other shoes.. arrogant perception denied or set aside. Perhaps?!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review and insights, em.
j.

[emmajoy]

Would like to know, some time, what you actually mean here. Please.

[Stella Armour]

Mmmmm a bit late in them methinks, if had lived a humble life and done the best he could do why would he need rosary beads to placate himself ?
Oh dear, religion ingrained into children is not always a good thing ..... let them find their own faith as they grow without the fear of some long lost God re-surfacing with a vengeance.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, not always a good thing...sooner or later we figure out what we will.
thank you, Stella.
j.

[Bacchus]

A drop and a drink
Now swimming in hopefully holy waters
What really takes the cake with God when we are burried and back to dust?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i wonder that myself....thank you for your read and insight...
j.

[sette]

this shows the fallibility and not so invincible by men subjected by weaknesses and i can relate to this poem with the horrendous week ive had, thanks for this jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thanks for your words, sette.
j.

[Jimmy Yetts]

A near-masterpiece.
I say, "near" only because a fallible human being wrote this great poem--besides, what the hell do I know?
Still, as I see it, you've created a poetic offering for Hallowed Books!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Jimmy.
j.