march 24,2005

maundy thursday mercy(a sestina)


rose petal prayers of mercy
and grace fill this void
between sky and you and me
till clouds puff their cheeks
and bow their heads to kiss
my lips,my lids,my heart

and the funny thing about this heart
overfilled to the brim with your mercy
passion and peace from your kiss
filling the shame human void
of fraility that dribbles my cheeks
staring blankly belittling blinding me

and hearts burn and lips call me
out of nowhere slicing this heart
brandishing steel and still my cheeks
blush at your gifts of sweet mercy
at the longing of this life void
of peace and now peace in your kiss

tastes like wine and full and my kiss
is not forsaken paints a picture of me
and you and this sweet love void
of pain and loneliness that crushed heart
and soul and life and breath and this mercy
fills me drunk and giddy and my cheeks

blushing and simple like the cheeks
of an innocent,sacred,liquid kiss
of salvation of shout this goodness and mercy
all the days of this time for me
swollen and brimming and overflowing heart
that is now pierced with your peace and void

of stitches and scars and the hollow void
that held me down and burned these cheeks
with shame and saddness and a broken heart
that bled each time they stole their kiss
and wiped away all shreds of dignity-of me
and so so perfect so holy this mercy

that drips from your heart with each. kiss. my cheeks(void of fear)and hold.close and save. me from all that i was.without your mercy.