The Rape of Mary

I was reading this month's issue of Mental Floss, in particular an article entitled "Great Christian art by really lousy Christians", and felt inspired to write the following poem.



The Rape of Mary

that night when God came
to Mary in the form of
the Holy Spirit or a
dream she couldn't shake
did she revel in the conception
of her famous son
or did she recoil
out of fear that first time

was God gentle - the loving God
of the New Testament - or
did he resemble
His younger, mercurial self
and demand of her what He wanted
taking it when she demurely refused

ltv

Justin Hamilton Poems

I wrote these poems on Friday, August 28, 2009; the day 35-year-old Justin Hamilton jumped off Northampton's E. John Gare III Parking Garage around 12.30 pm. The man, who had battled Schizophrenia, died at the scene. Click here for the story. Also, read the comments of the story. There is a letter addressed to Mr. Contrada towards the end of the page, which is from the man's father.

Perspective

ripples gently lap the shore
the happy picnickers look up
see the beautiful day
the sparkling water
the majestic bridge
the lights of the police cars
and the crowd of people
staring into the water below

ltv


Jumping to Conclusions

is depression cliché
the idea of tortured voices
troubled minds silenced
by the violent calm of suicide
transformed into a surreal
picture so unlike ourselves
we cannot imagine ever
feeling anything similar
to the man crumpled
on the pavement

ltv



I hope he is free of his demons and that his family can understand that the best of him lives on in their memory more peacefully than the whole of him did on Earth.