It began as sacrifice.
The favored son. The virgin.
A chalice of blood: blod.
Then surrogates: ram or doe.
The prettiness
Of a lamb.
A market to purchase doves.
Priests whose knives make holy
These supplications: bledsion.
Softened in time to blessen.
A votive candle instead.
Blessing.
Said over the Sunday roast
Or like a gift of good will
Bestowed.
Published in Cider Press Review, Volume 16, Issue 2.
Joan Colby has published 11 books including The Lonely Hearts Killers, The Atrocity Book and her newest books from FutureCycle Press, Dead Horses and Selected Poems. Selected Poems” received the 2013 FutureCycle Prize. A chapbook “Bittersweet” is forthcoming from Main Street Rag Press in 2014.
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