I heard
what you said
But not
what you meant
Your words
but a smokescreen
Belying
intent
Each one
deftly crafted
To lure
and delude
Anointing
your weakness
Blaspheming
— Saint Jude
(Chicago’s South Side: July, 2026)
A mother
left crying
alone in her pew
Begging the Lord
for a miracle
new …
The only thing
he was good at
was being bad
Bus stations
train stations
corn maidens in drag
He came and he went
with the most
discordant rhyme
His sins
left uncounted
but marking the time
In Akron Ohio
his grifting
unwrapped
Those roads
in New Mexico
calling him back
The lights
and the sirens
again on their way
His thumb
in the wind
— Saint Jude in dismay
(The Breezeway: January, 2024)
The square root of an Epiphany
—is hope
(Villanova Sacristy: March, 2021)
Saint Jude himself couldn't stop
the spinning chariot wheels
of all my lost causes,
but I have this self-help book
that I keep at my elbow;
one day I'll read it.
Occasionally I take a trip
in a metaphysical fishing ship
with fellow deckhands.
Naturally the talk turns to purpose,
the art of being rescued,
and charging through icebergs.
None of my crew
has a clue,
or even know how to fish,
but we all have this passion
for drowning.
Amidst Swirling Eddies Of Fate...
Negligible power prevails
no matter one jock or nerd
feverishly hollars, fumes
decries, berates... absurd
fickle finger (middle phalange
doubling up as
flipping the bird),
unlikely the powers
that be heard
such lament, would not forfeit
issuing the last juicy,
meaty and tasty word
tis "FAKE" vanity
trumpeting to delude
those, who experience
a sourpuss mood,
when vile unfortunate
circumstances collude
(as if Putin on the Ritz),
whether you be dame or a dude,
no matter, the mindset
finds thee to brood
why without rhyme
or reason Saint Jude
or some other divine being
gleefully laughing out loud,
spurring an angrily strong
temptation to utter a crude
expletive taking by
surprise WASPY, snooty,
and noisily rude
listeners, who quickly exude
a gasp as if ye in pranced the nude
giving slight consolation punching
back at invisible joker
no matter he/she
could not be viewed
nonetheless yours truly
succeeded to read this
mashup, and get thee wooed.
Up before the alarm
again, throat dry,
head full of nails
each tagged with
a recipient soul,
keeping it together.
You've never noticed
the pensive man
eyes on the back
of your head as
you window shopped,
cried on a city bus
or tried to pay bills,
chin in soft hand,
the other rummaging a
deep pocket for grains
of hope, fuzzballs,
reasons to go on.
The positive error in
your checking account,
your daughter's smile
and numerous little
micro pleasures,
often discovered
after you've clambered
off at your stop and
I've rode onwards
True relative of Jesus and Virgin Mary
St. Judas Thaddeus, a Cousin to Jesus Christ
Aiding mankind
For hopeless and desperate cases
12182011
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