billy little
MEMORYY (for david phillips)
i remember how frustrated Jesus got
building those tacky villas for the roman yuppies
gentrifying the Sea of Galilee
how his tongue became
myriads of venomous snakes
how he ate mouse sushi
for weeks on end
you could sell him two bushels of mint
it wouldn't be enough2. The Satin Man
"where's the man could ease a heart
like a satin gown?" -Dorothy Parkerremember that halloween,
jesus put on the red mask
tied the pointy tail to his plaid pants
hoist the rusty pitchfork
and went out trick or treating in the treetopswhere the shrieking primates
tossed polished acorns
at his swollen red scrotumthat halloween jesus changed the maples leaves
into currency
made the blue bummed orangutans
eat swimming pools of money puddingafter His tracheotomy
His lips spelled
everything He didn't say
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