Christmas Prayer Poem by Donna Ialongo

salut! grand nuit de la foi!
salut!
and blessed be this vulgar peace
of the darkened Mass.
and the obscene Christmas love
of the mark oranged faces
in khaki creamed forests with silent rosaries.

salut! gore dripping angel of guns
visiting my stomach's
good feeling
i breathe 'silent night'
(the pseudo love, bubble gum,
Christian)
and tears
(for their salt enamels my life.)
salut! what hole is mine,
the pearl dreams, the sterile love.
and when the coating smells through
and the Mass lies defiled among
my fingers, strip me of my
eyes and nose and let
me breathe.
one heart naked to the smacking wind -
and let me know