I THOUGHT GOD HAD TEETH.

INCISORS BLOODY FROM THE ENEMIES SLAIN

A CHUNK OF FLESH CAUGHT IN A SHINING MOLAR

SIN DRIPPING FROM SMOOTH LIPS BURNT BLACK

BY THE LIGHT OF HIM—

THE SIGHT OF HIMSELF ON EARTH,

MANGLED AND RUINED

AN IMAGE DISTORTED

A POOL WITHOUT THE WATER

A RIVER RUN DRY.

I THOUGHT GOD HAD TEETH.

EYES AS RED AS THE LIFE GLEAMING ON HIS LIPS

WIDE AND ON FIRE

SET TO DESTROY THE EARTH FOR ITS IMMORALITY

ITS GRASP AT IMMORTALITY

ITS SELECTIVE AMNESIA

(you thought God left us?

we left ourselves)

ITS ETERNAL ACHE TO REWRITE HISTORY

TO PAINT GOD PEACH

TO GIVE JESUS A LIGHTER HUE

TAKE MY BIBLE AND TELL ME THAT MY GOD DOESN'T STAY BROWN

IN THE SUN AND SHADOWS

THAT HIS SKIN AND MINE DO NOT GLOW THE SAME.

I THOUGHT GOD HAD TEETH.

BECAUSE THEY SAID HE DID—

THE WHITE MEN BEHIND PODIUMS WHO SAID THAT I WASN'T HUMAN

THAT WE WEREN'T HUMAN

THAT OUR LOVE CROSSED US OUT FROM HIS

THAT EVEN THE MAN WHO MADE ME COULDN'T LOVE ME.

NOT THE WAY I AM

NOT THE WAY I COULD BE

I CAME AS I WAS AND I LEFT THE SAME—

LONELY

UNLOVED

RE-BLAMED

FOR LOOKING UPON A CREATION OF GOD AND THINKING

HERE IS MY DREAM.

I THOUGHT GOD HAD TEETH

BECAUSE I LOST MINE IN A YEAR—

PULLED OUT ALL MY WHITES WHEN HE PULLED OUT ALL MY FEAR

LEFT A 20 IN MY POCKET AND A WHISPER IN MY EAR

HE CANNOT FIGHT IF HE CANNOT LOVE

AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE ENEMY

THE ONE TO BE SLAIN

THE FIVE COURSE MEAL THAT HE WOULD REVEL IN

THE TOOTHPICK THAT HE'D CLEAN UP WITH

THE SERVIETTE BENEATH HIS GLEAMING CUTLERY.

I THOUGHT GOD HAD TEETH.

AND HE DOES.

BUT THIS GOD—

MY GOD—

TOOK MY DARKNESS WHEN NO ONE WOULD

TOOK MY LOVE WHEN NO ONE WOULD

TWIRLED ME AROUND AND SAID "THAT'S MY SON"

WHEN MY FATHER COULD NOT FORM THE WORDS

COULD NOT COMPREHEND THE SANDSTORM THAT CAME FROM HIS WIFE'S WOMB.

MY GOD KEPT THE SHADOWS AT BAY

DUG UP THE BODIES THAT I'D LAID TO REST

TURNED THE CEMETERY OF MY BODY INTO A TEMPLE OF LOVE

TURNED MY SKIN INTO SCRIPTURE

TURNED MY WORDS INTO HIS VERY BREATH.

I THOUGHT GOD HAD TEETH.

AND HE LOVES FEROCIOUSLY.

WHEN THIS LIGHT GOES OUT, HE WILL COME FOR ME—

TEETH AND ALL. ROBE AND ALL.

LOVE AND ALL.