Dorothea Gift of God
she was only too aware that her own conception had been maculate
it had been not been a virginal birth and yet a blessed gift from God
her mother a whore in the town’s creep joint
father a loose unknown alcoholic desperado
a blasphemous union had sprouted its seeds
outcast she was left on the door step of grace
a castaway waif wrapped in a ragged blanket of hope or utter dejection
her only worldly possessions a bent crucifix and threadbare rosary beads
they washed away sins of her profane forbears
clothed the product of sacrilegious irreverence
found a wet nurse to feed her insatiable mouth
baptized the foundling Dorothea the gift of God
she never once strayed from the path of redemption and joined the order
of indestructible faith and vowed to serve in the habit of monastic duty
nursed many an abandoned orphan in her care
never doubted her mission in the convent of love
and was given the privilege to name baby twins
chose Theodore and Mathew from her kind heart
every day she rose early for morning prayers in the sacristy of devotion
included Mother Superior and Baby Lord Jesus in unshakeable orison
never took the message of resurrection in vain and fostered the Godsend
‘by decree of the Father Son and Holy Spirit I promise to further the calling’
the sun rose every day and set as it should for moons to turn and spell
light from celestial waxing and waning never loosing track of duty and care
one day though she found Theodore and Mathew curled up in a corner
unable to speak for they had pledged to stay silent in a covenant from hell
she gave them crayons and paper and they finally drew a High Priest
who wielded a scepter sprung from his loins towering over the siblings
they started to weep and uttered that everything had been their fault
‘sister we transgressed and must be punished in just hell and beyond’
Dorothea called upon justice and atonement
but was exorcised in return for her conscience
‘we don’t need a scandal for his heaven’s sake
forgive those who trespass by rule of the cross’
God’s guidance disappeared that very same night behind high priory walls
as she went into the cloister’s kitchen to sharpen revenge and a fine blade
she cut the clergyman’s throat and with it the orphanage’s umbilical chord
and felt that she had recompensed for her ancestor’s unabated malfeasance
sure in the knowledge that she had held a true present from God in her hands
when she turned the rosary pearls in her hands she walked into confinement
21st May 2020
Copyright © Kai Michael Neumann | Year Posted 2020
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