broken rosary

broken rosary

 

 

 

 

in the pristine chapel

black and blue knees

genuflect to the choir's inflections

 

sure, i'm a sinner

but i already know that

at a whim

i will transgress

 

then undress my soul

through a paneled window

to a man holding the beads of my soul

in his hand,

mouthing meaningless words

of forgiveness

while i do a solo of contrition

totally off key

 

and then genuflect to the choir's inflections

fooling myself into thinking

my key is turning in the lock

cleaning out the storage

 

of bad breath

my sins have exhaled

into a voice

 

with no pitch

of sincerity.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

11/10/19

Reviews

[Jimmy Yetts]

Those who truly seek forgiveness, cry out to God with a humble, contrite and hurting heart.
Lawyer-like verbal prescriptions that consist of "meaningless words" feigning remorse to a fellow sinner,
"fix" nothing.
"broken rosary" artistically honors the foundation of all genuine spirituality: Truth.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, Jimmy,
j.

[MCS]

a deep profound read, always enjoy my visits here. mine is also broken, however it still works.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

maybe broken ones are the best....they've been there and done that.
thank you, MCS,
j.

[Einstein Noodle]

so relatable my friend ... we were marched up to Confession every week ... my sins always repeated the same ... how could i know what confessing is all about at such a young age ... the rote did not hold me .. but living does ... true confession can be brutal .. and it is cleansing ... like Shrek says .. "..better out than in" .. :)
https://youtu.be/BSMzRy4EHv0
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, E.
j.

[Rhayne]

I think no matter what the religion, every person old enough to understand right from wrong is a sinner until the day they take their last breath and find themselves before their maker, whatever he may be called. In the world today it's impossible to be righteous for more than a day unless you sleep through it. Personally, I believe in God and I talk to him frequently but not every day. I don't always wait until something is wrong to say hello, please forgive me-----. I like to talk to him as if he's standing before me and pour my guts in private. Sometimes I believe Earth is hell and until you meet the requirements for Heaven, you stay here, reincarnating until you finally get it right.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i especially agree with your last part...Hell is here on Earth...and i to talk to him...privately...
and we all sin....i hated that line in the song by Norman Greenbaum..."Never been a sinner, i never sinned, i have a friend in Jesus"
well...congrats on being perfect, Norman...
ugh.
thank you for your words, Rhayne.
j.

[AYVID N]

You perfectly sum up religion for most people, Jacob. Religion has been inflicted on most and there can be no sincerity where there’s any kind of force. We know ourselves better than any man holding beads. Sadly, they know themselves too...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, they know themselves as well....and the sincere ones are offset by those who use the cloth for evil
thank you for your words, DIVYA,
j.

[AYVID N]

You're most welcome, Jacob.

[John the Baptist]

The orthodox and fundamentalist religions do know something about intimidation and control. And when their own iniquities become public, it is no wonder believers become cynics

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it is no wonder...
thank you, John, for your insight..
j.

[Michael Oliver]

Cant be as concise as I would like to be - but as we say in England when for us it is the same SNAP

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Michael....i confess to being a lapsed Catholic....but logic for several reasons won out over just believing and that what we don't understand is as said in Shakespeare in Love..is "a Mystery."

[Michael Oliver]

I am a still an old Anglican but swim in a sea of many faiths - all point to something probably the aesthetic core of our humanity

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob... we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God... and yet...
we believe... that we have grown and learned that our heart and soul have reached a place
of grace... accept that revelation and find peace in the Valley. truly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, we believe...thank you, Pat,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

I remember the song, "I believe"... by Frankie Laine... so simple, but so soothing... even 70 years later... where does the time go... into tomorrow perhaps. Pat

[emmajoy]

Have often felt that you write for yourself not for judgement or acclaim. That - at a given time. you're nudged to put your thoughts in order and display them to your cafe companions, most of whom think of you as a personal teacher/professor! (Too long a para, forgive)

Here you've expressed an outlook that has to be based on past experience. Emotions and/or logic seemingly conflicting with faith. Surely a thoughtful being should analyse the latter to discover if it's derived from family doctrine or discovered in whatever way, lingering deep inside. Perhaps. To that end, your academically placed words, lit by glorious metaphors, express the feelings of many in this media run world where secrets are outed, not in the one but many places. Guilt is a dirty word these days, sin is acceptable. So, cynically said, why bother to have someone forgive you in another's name. And yet, fear is entrenched in some faith. Will that perhaps become a tsunami of events that kills faith: plus, the asking for forgiveness become an empty shell? Jacob, please forgive this long, long probably boring review.It's due to you, making me think and think.. and think. No sin in that, surely?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

on the contrary....no review by you is ever boring...your insights and understanding of this poet are amazing.
and yes, you are right...I write because it is there, because i have to...sharing is important...but acclaim? if we write for that i feel we are selling out, selling ourselves as poets...it's not the poet that matters, it's the words.
thank you, em.
j.

[emmajoy]

Would you believe it, came to edit my review because it is so long but .. .. Will explain more but have reasons that expand my thoughts because of a few influences.. Thank you for your comments, j... they truly are appreciate. :)

[ieuan ap hywel]

But the RC religion is broken.
Confession means admit one is a sinner before God
You already done that to Mr Priest.
Actually Jesus said call no man Father, there is but one Father. :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

very true...thank you, Frank.