Categories
Issue 5 Poetry

Confessional

Most of the feedback I received was aimed toward greater specificity, in wording and vocabulary. Lines like “we desire your love” turning instead into “we covet your conditional love”—covet having more biblical connotations, and the conditional aspect being important to the current situation of the narrator. Some of the feedback I received but did not agree with, was about the formatting and expanding the poem into more of a story. I thought separating the confessional text from the lines of the poem would create too much of a divide between the words I am trying to weave into conversation with each other. As for expanding the poem into more of a story, that felt too much like straying into prose.

like guilt

Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us

we revere your martyrdom

I detest all my sins

I detest myself
I, who cannot carry your crown of thorns for you.

like fear

I dread the loss of Heaven

we covet your conditional love

I fear the pains of Hell

death is not relief
only waiting to claw desperately for the mercy of your Judgment.

like penitence

because of thy just punishments

we adore your tyranny

Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love

learn from Job 
your helplessness is nothing to Him, His love is for Commandments and repentant sinners.

like childhood

Father of mercy

we submit to your parenthood

I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your child

the prodigal sons 
we, who raised in your empire, reject it.

I am no longer your child.