Bonfires on Earth to Warm the Heavens

Two devils sat in Mass

Both more frightened of the judgement

From each other

Than of God, or Christ, or any Holy Spirit



The collectors brought around the donation trays

And the Devils bid each other lower-

Daring each other to donate the least amount of money to

A God of vengeance that lacked a sense of humor



It was the weaker one

That put in a whole coin

Of a particular denomination



The stronger Devil

The one without any real fear

Dropped a shred of lint from his pocket

Into the plate



God was not amused-

God grew full of vengeance-

But God was always full of vengeance

And these two Devils did not fear him

The way a God expected to be feared



The Saints all cried out from the rafter beams

The Angels all cried out from the pews

The Martyrs wailed and wailed

From the stone mason floor

The Bibles spoke one thousand tongues

Even God could not comprehend



But their cries and their wails

And all their speeches in every tongue

Could not withhold the judgement of Devils-



The judgement, as it rests, declares

This church and this God are not worth fearing

Even in the recourse of not having proper funds

We shall rest now at the end of our time

Forsaking the next generation any life

Better than our own



The only happy people in church that day

Were the alter-boys, who ran outside into

The cool air, the green grass, yelling and chirping

Amongst themselves, "We are not scared of God,

And we are not scared of Nuns, and we are certainly

Not scared of Preachers.



The question became then-

To bathe in the air and grass

As innocent children, or to start a fire

And warm by it; the way good Devils should?



The fire was easier, because none of them could fly

And only half of them could swim



God was vengeful and did lack a sense of humor

But God also enjoyed the heat of an untamed flame-



For without Devils the universe was cold and lonely

And obtuse, and sullen



And it was fun for God

To see women and unschooled spirits

Flock around the fire- The way they always had

Since the first question of doubt had formed

About chains, pedestals, and the usefulness

Of good without the existence of evil.