Merciful Heaven

Sister Benedictine, her blinded eyes stretched upward, seeing neither blue nor green nor his mercy. born into a religious family, expected at fourteen, to kindle providence… she’d flounder at best. her neophyte gown, dark and drab, long nights without prospect. her grin grew as she noticed Father Francis, the poetic bombast of his tongue. the bored hunch of his shoulders. together they’d let go of their latent inhibition, invisible to the church, except for one peeping eye. Faith saw it — the lecherous act. the smolder of her right spectacle ignited the steeple. the overwrought mother of the excommunicated sister coldly calls her by her middle name, Dolorous — for she was promised to God during the painful pangs of birth. locked into a wretched wheelchair, the mother stares into her child’s eyes — mean green and steel blue, unglued. 6/9/2019 Eight word free verse challenge Poetry Contest Sponsor: John Hamilton *Merciful Heaven - an exclamation