Thursday, November 2, 2023

RECONCILIATION

That there are incalculable 
silences 
between stars, 

where the blank 
that stares back at you 
benevolently regards 

the offenses 
you've carried outdoors 
in your head, 

ought to remind you 
of Catholic 
school confessions—

kneeling 
before screens of that black, 
muted fabric 

and waiting 
for some litany of 
rote interrogations 

to reach inside 
and soothe your seething 
reservoir of poison. 

Only, this time,
instead of that bid 
to confess, 

your hope is that 
this tapestry 
may yet 

disarm you 
with quite a different 
set of questions:

How have you been 
scarred, my friend? 

And how long 
has it been since then? 

And did you not 
invite that knife in?

And if so, 
for what reason?