Jennifer Mattern

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Try blasphemy

Shake things up.
Give blasphemy a whirl.

If you can't call God a motherfucker,
what a waste of a loaded word.
Waste not, want not.

Start small.
Mutter it, into your coffee,
on your couch.  

See how much God understands.
Loving dogs will sometimes bite
when injured.

Let's see if God
has done His homework.
Pain:
still the most effective equalizer.

The violent cower.
But the meek snap,
flashing fangs and white sclera, 
looking for an out, any out at all.

Well, you've done it now.
Wait and see if He's heard you.
Make a pledge. The lightning rod

on the roof and your tin heart
are His for target practice,
if He's got nothing better
to do this afternoon.

Bare your teeth.
Brace yourself.
That rumble you hear 
is not your belly, not this time.