Embarking
All the way to Jerusalem I travelled
alone photographed David’s mosque
rode an Arab’s horse
to Petra city of red rocks
women scarved in black prayed
in the church of the Our Father
walked the road to the cross
All the way unseen, God followed
jingled coins in my blue jeans’ pocket
while I bartered in the market place
for an Aramaic cross to wear
around my neck sat across
from me at a marble table
tasted goat’s cheese sipped a glass
of Galilean wine in Bethlehem
just beyond the souvenir shops
a Bedouin appeared swathed
in white down to his sandals proffered
coffee camel rides Arabian sweets
pointed to blue window frames
everywhere For good luck
We have a saying here there’s the blue of the sky
blue of the sea blue of a woman’s eyes
He looked straight into my black pupils
But all your women’s eyes are brown
Mine too He winked
offered me his arm but I hung back
not knowing all the while
God is a laughing Bedouin
Crucifixion
Who held Mary
when they took Jesus
from the cross
No arms strong enough
no voice soft enough
no cloth cool enough
no song sweet enough
to bear the burden sorrow
nothing stopped her tears
And where was God
the father
when Jesus hung his head and died
No storm loud enough
no sky dark enough
no waves high enough
no quake big enough
to bear the burden sorrow
nothing stopped God’s tears
Make My Coffin Wide
when I die make my coffin
wide so I can spread my legs
that’s how I spent most of my life
spread your legs tuck in your butt
point your toes flex and point
bend your knees that’s it ladies one, two three
spread your legs stretch and bend
clean the toilet hang up the clothes
sew and mend unwind the hose
that Harry forgot to put away last summer
when you’re tired spread your legs
in a hot tub filled with bubbles
that is after you’ve scrubbed it
’cause nobody else will
spread your legs c’mon Honey open wide
sorry about last night what’s the matter forget the fight
spread your legs I can see his head
breathe deeply just like I said
don’t push that’s it relax
good girl
spread your legs a little bit more
this may hurt a tiny sore
just like a bee sting
don’t move your legs relax
spread your legs first one then the other
it’s easier that way we don’t want you to fall between
the bed and the stretcher
we’ll support your shoulder
just slide over that’s it good girl
when I die make my coffin wide
so I can stretch out on either side
point my toes tuck in my pelvis
breathe deeply count to four
relax and spread my legs