“Catechism” and Other Poems
Catechism The world is made of love I tell the little girls in catechism class on Wednesday nights at six. Not little really: eighth or seventh…
“A Long Drive in America” and Other Poems
A Long Drive in America Let's see how long you can drive in America before you get to a place you can't get out of. Let's see how many days you can…
Spider Veloce
Dad picked the perfect time to try to kill himself. He had always had a flair for that sort of thing. Dramatic exits, comedic timing. I had never…
Four Religious Poems
To Know God, to Love God, and to Serve God I am a bowl of fruit on a shelf in a store in Chinatown, rotting--- Evaporating up and breathing sweetness…
The World Made Clean
The first cases were detected on a Wednesday. A couple of guests developed symptoms; like good citizens, they reported the matter to management. Mr.…
Three Autobiographical Poems
Apartment Near the BQE (After Edward Hopper) Light coffee, mostly cream Sun slanting through the screen I fell asleep again Just after you had left…
The Queen of the Seminarians
Sunday morning, spring semester: sun melting the frost on courtyard grass, light streaming in through stained glass. Sacristans swishing about in…
Three Religious Poems
Minor Seminary The ghostly weight of cassocks hanging on doors---the slight drag of polyester in the air, draped shapes without heads or hands or…
Liberty
The sun turned the sky purple and everything under the sky black. Jessie was standing outside looking at the shapes which had once been objects. The…
COVID Diary
I met up with Renard (not his real name) in the yellow afternoon glow of an empty Union Square. He had his bike with him, trying to pick up any…
