Kiera Dankesreiter

The wind moved the sand  

Into the image of the ribs of Mother Gaia 

As She was staring down with one full eye  

Disapprovingly upon the congregation  

Of miscellaneous adolescents; 

Who stole cigars from their father’s dresser drawers 

And smuggled matches 

From the altars of their respective denominations. 

 

And when they smoked 

Their burnt offerings to heaven  

For the pleasure of Yahweh himself 

The crabs crawled and gossiped of their sin. 

God overheard and turned a blind eye; however, 

The Goddess saw all and shook Her head 

Causing the tides to roll up to their ankles  

So that the frigid sea would startle them 

Into Obedience. 

 

So when they dropped their butts into the waves 

And ran for the cover of the home  

risen closer to Heaven 

Than the average abode 

The Goddess took their wrongdoings  

willingly into her mouth 

And swallowed them 

To protect her children  

From the repercussions of their actions 

And the wrath of their Father.  

 

Despite this they giggled 

As the water that punished them dried 

And the salt rings around their ankles 

Peeled off one by one  

And cleansed the home of heaven 

Warding the house of the misdemeanors 

Left on the shores of the sea.