Poetics 8... Poem by RIC BASTASA

Jose de la Cruz: i've never entered church again
and the priests have forgotten my name
my face my
everything

i am a stranger now
estranged, detached from the navel of
the catholic religion
i do have a navel myself
just one
lonely, isolated navel
uncleaned
unwashed with alcohol
i am unhygienic
avoid me i may contaminate you
i am jose de la cruz
convicted of bad faith
lost and
hiding

do not judge me
i draw the face of God everyday
using my own
words
i am a mumble and a bubble
do not mind me
i am still searching for apertures
gasping for light
simply wanting to be original
not copying the bible
away from the mob of those
religious piteous
copycats

save yourself as i also
want to save
me.....