ReD rEd WInE

He killed his heArts
WitH holy wine
BlesSed toxins
In a hOly shRinE
His own bleak hanD
Held steel Of deadly shinE

TwaS dead as all
The anGel
PartS
That fell to hEll
All
ToRn apart
And neVer giVen starts
To live as sainTs

And angelS welcomed
His demisE
His spit nO longer
Teared their eYes

And saintS
Clap clappeD 
To welcoMe it
For trouBleD souls 
Are best begiT
Away to spoil tHe fruits
Not groWn
On the RiPe greeN tRees
Of lovE

AnD
No one caRed the blood 
He draineD
On grounds tOO hard
A foot to gaiN

And no one careD
That goodly sAints
Had purCHased
SoUls
Of boys so younG
To taiNt

They killed hiS hearts
With praYerS that
ScarreD
So deep, his soUl could
NeveR eVer
SleeP

And no one noW
To quesTion how
The evil rise a hoLY show
To paint in wHites
Of pUre greyS
The hoRRor shows
ConcealEd
ANd hid awaY

Lo...leave collections
By the dooRS
On crosses sTood
On hOLY flooRs
In holy placEs
Steeped in graCe
WiTh smiling robEs
Of gentle fAcE
ANd
ROtten RottEn RotteN
To
ThE
CoRe

Marion Price (2020)