The Holy Grocery Bill

I have had my fill

Of the Holy Grocery Bill

That God left behind

For us cavemen to find

Inconsistent rules for life

Designed for misery and strife

Where’s the Commandment against rape?

That would separate us from apes

It isn’t there, anywhere

Where’s the fatwah against acid attacks

From a man trying to get back?

It isn’t there, anywhere

Where’s the mizvot against herpes

Given by circumcision slurpees?

It isn’t there, anywhere
Where's the sutra against pillage
Of another cult's  village?
It isn't there anywhere

Why listen to your conscience

When you can kill and rape like God says

I think there’s no doubt about it

We’d be better off without it

But the Holy Grocery Bill’s text

Is just a reflection of our illness

We’d realize we didn’t need it

If only we didn’t feed it

There’s some good items in there too

That are read by far too few

If we fanned the flames of this light

We’d better judge what is right

And see the darkness in our hearts

Is what’s keeping us apart

KATE

Listening to Sharon Van Etten

I remember you Kate

Beautiful girl

Your boyish grin

Your boyish haircut

Thumbs hooked into your jeans

How we’d talk about girls

Playing pool at the gay bar whose name I forget

Listening to silence

I remember the night

Soaking wet

You told me

You had a secret

I said if it was that you were a lesbian

That was half the reason I liked you

And no reason to stop being your friend

Listening to rainfall

I remember the morning

Smoking menthols

You told me

How your first love

Broke your heart and broke off ties

Like half your family and friends

Was already married and pregnant

Listening to nothing

I remember that Toronto night

Eating Greek food

You introduced me

To your fiancée

Two beautiful girls

Making me blush and look away

As you snuck kisses in the restaurant

Listening to my blood rush

I remember that afternoon

At your front door

Your sister told me

About your suicide

Just before your wedding

I walked home crying

Not needing to see the streets we played on

Kate, I love you miss you remember you

IT'S A SMALL WINDOW

In life

It’s a small window

When I can rock you to sleep in my arms, son

It’s a small window

When I can take you in the tub with me

Then wash you clean and dry and clothe you, son

It’s a small window

When you beam at me and smile when I say “Good morning”

Then we talk nonsense to each other for an hour, son

It’s a small window

When everything I do makes you smile or laugh

My off key songs are music to your ears, son

It’s a small window

I will look back through

The rest of my life