by Carmen Mason
At another time
a woman would have married
all the men
I have loved:
bright achievers
repentent
devout and
reverent choirboys
resonating hymns
Sometimes
I did believe in them
I could confess to them
I could hail Mary for them
but not drink blood
place wafered flesh
upon my tongue and swallow;
worship and
down the chalice
of their thin, sweet wine
Always, I have been looking
for a Jesus
(shame on me )
who, not knowing
who he was,
what was expected
of him.
would walk upon my heart
like palm leaves
and with his smile
pluck the thorns
and turn them
into roses
Carmen Mason has been writing poems since she was six, has won poetry prizes throughout the years, has been published in small magazines and enjoys sharing her poetry at open mikes. She writes short stories and memoir, but feels her most intrinsic ‘voice’ is a poetic one.