Cafe Gospel

Dropped into a
small coffee shop
run by good friends
to see what was up
that day…

there were two Gods
with no obvious gender
on a corner outside
working miracles
for small cash.

Another One
watched them
suspiciously — written
on His face this question:
how could any de-gendered
Deity be? He stayed miserable
inside his car.

Found inside
a holy set of patrons
and there among them
yet another miniature God
having a cup of Yrgacheffe.
I took a seat and
spied upon Her
as she set about
changing things
in this one tiny world
She controlled,

then when she’d paid and left
stood and applauded my friends
for building a Heaven,
a Home
so easily attained.

Easy enough to bring
a deity to believe in here,
they replied, if you leave
your doors open
at odd hours
and stop judging
who shows up
and what shape
they take — I mean,

just look at yourself,
they said.
Go ahead.  It isn’t
blasphemous
to see yourself here,
belonging here.

It sounded
like what was needed,
like a Gospel,
like good,
good news.

I sat back down,
stayed a while longer.