Traditions say
the use of fire
was given to us by
a coyote,
a wolf, 
a seabird, 
a mantis; they say 
that water fell for us
thanks to the word of
a butterfly,
a worm, 
a snake,
a maple tree; they say
we exist
because of
the will of mud,
stone shards,
spittle,
milkweed feathers.

I don’t know
if any of that is true.
I just know 
it’s what I’ve been told.

I know
for you
the answer is always
science
and maybe science is
more solid, maybe 
it’s truer
than what I know,

but 
don’t pretend
you know anything
about it all,
really;

you take it
all on faith
just as I do.

Inspired by this story:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/pope-reveals-late-confessors-cross-22796088

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Pope speaks
of how once he lifted a cross
from a corpse’s fingers,

left roses
in its place, and now
carries that theft

with him always
under his clothes.
Those innocent

severed roses
still rot in the dark of the tomb.
Mercy in any amount is nowhere to be found,

and there’s no redemption
or resurrection
to be had

when the crime is revealed.
No one is shocked.
Everything stays the same.

The only thing to do 
in certain situations
is to ask yourself:

“how
is it possible
for us to be
this stupid?”

Suggested uses:

upon seeing
a pipeline burst

when you find
a murdered eagle

after
a war

upon seeing evidence
of a bias based
in vaporware or
with God as an excuse

“how is it possible
for us to be
this stupid?”

say it
upon hearing the news
any news

yell it
when you feel it
itching at your lungs and tongue
in the presence of 
prime examples and

whisper it
loudly enough for the dead to hear
when wiping their blood
from your hands