b a p t i s m

say it as a rememberance
and not as excuse
that you are human, made of dust
and slow, moving to glory
day by day
and all in surprise were you caught by
the voice
you knew not
we knew not what to expect
when we dipped down in the water
all we knew was that we were running
all we knew was we were walking heavy footed
from the wreck
from all the burnt houses,
all we knew was that long before any prophet said
repent
or any priest spake of a day at hand
all of our days were dried up and numbered
we were dried up and humbled when we didn't even
know what the word meant
and staggering, burnt and bloodied
we headed to the water for a healing
well
who the hell expected the cracking of the sky?
we half hoped our mother in the water would
receive us
and you, i know, forgot your father in heaven
so behold the surprise in your eyes
and mine
dancing and dazzled at the declaration
you are mine, and beloved, and in this love
i am pleased
he is pleased
she is pleased
you and me, let us be pleased
for just a moment before we leave this water
let us dwell in this pleasure
that made the world, and that we traveled the world
chasing
in bottles and glasses, from bed to bed, in pleasing
the infinite, abyss of the black hole of our
imagined selves