betty

(With deepest apologies to Swift and Poe.)

Betty, I make no assumption,
Dare exhibit not the gumption,
For thy home-room’s past transumption,
But I think it’s ‘cause of me.
Betty, once, my skateboard riding,
Petty chance, my wheel-course guiding,
Passed me by thy fair residing.
It was like I couldn’t breathe.

Betty, I recall the founding
Of romance’s first confounding:
‘Twas your favorite song’s resounding
From the far side of the gym,
You would look, but could not find me—
Crowds and I do not mix kindly;
This you know, need I remind thee?—
Plus I saw you dance with him.

From Inez you heard the rumor
(Ever love’s incessant tumor).
Oft we took her words in humor,
But this time her aim was true.
How could I inject “however”?
Explanation how endeavor?
For the worst thing that I ever
Did, was what I did to you.

Love and pavement in declension,
She arrested my attention,
Figment of my worst intention,
Coaxing, “James, get in. Let’s drive.”
Pride receiving any comer,
Balm for heartache seeking from her,
Though we trysted all of summer,
All my dreams were at thy side.

Betty, now for weeks I’ve planned it,
Dwelling on the desperate gambit
Till my soul can hardly stand it,
But it’s finally sinking in:
‘Tis one daydream’s last distraction
Till potential turns to action.
What were finally thy reaction
When you see my face again?

Dare I pray my sin suspended?
Dare I hope thy wings be mended?
If thy party I upended,
Wouldst thou bid me hangèd be?
Or to backyard gardens leading,
Hear the guilty mercy pleading,
Youthful ignorance conceding,
“All I know: I’ve missèd thee.”

Dies iræ

Wrathful day, the day
Earth dissolves in ember:
So attest David and the sybil.

What tremor shall be,
When the judge ventures
To hear all things?

The trumpet, wondrous, sounds
Throughout the sepulchers,
Summoning all throneward.

Death and nature stupefy,
For creation rises
Its judge to answer.

The book is written, is proffered,
Containing the totality
Whence earth is judged.

The judge is seated,
All secrets unveiling;
Nothing remains unpublished.

What terms can a wretch dictate?
Which saint entreat
If scarcely the righteous are secure?

O King, tremendous, majestic,
The saved freely saving,
Save me, O fount of mercy.

Remember, merciful Jesus,
For me you sojourned here;
Lose me not that day.

Seeking me, you wearied;
Redeeming me, suffered the cross:
Let not this labor be in vain.

Just judge, avenger,
Grant me remission
Before the day of reckoning.

I moan as one guilty;
Shame reddens my cheeks:
The suppliant spare, O Lord.

You absolved Mary;
You heard the thief;
You give me hope.

My prayers are beneath you;
But you are good, in grace
Let me not burn eternally.

Among your sheep grant me place,
From the goats sequester,
Set me at your right hand.

The cursed confounded,
To acrid flames consigned,
Count me with the blessed.

Please, supplicant and bowed,
My contrite heart in ashes,
Watch over my end.

That tearful day,
When comes from ember
The guilty man to judgement:
Spare him then, O Lord.

Merciful Jesus, Lord,
Grant him rest.
Amen.

—Trans. from “Dies irae”

Precinct Three Is Burning

And who can say it should not?
For my uncle Abel daily dies
By the hand of my father Cain.
Go to, ye blue-striped harlequins, weep and howl,
Lament not the fall of Babylon but
The subjugation of your neighbor.
•
The best relief for the orphan and widow is to not create them.
The noblest form of justice is to prevent injustice.
If you cannot change the soul, curb the flesh—
This is the purview of the law;
This is within your grasp.
•
Let the burning station be a sign;
Let the despoiled grocery be a byword.
“Justice perverted begets perverted justice;”
“What wounds a brother’s body, wounds my soul.”

#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeforBreonnaTaylor #BlackLivesMatter

De profundis

Out of the depths
I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord,
hear my voice! Let your ears
be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you,

O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand? But with
you there is forgiveness, that
you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord,
my soul waits, and
in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord! For
with the Lord there is steadfast love, and
with him is plentiful redemption. And
he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Psalm 130