Tortoises crawl into hare’s holes where demons receive communion. And when a child walks on water, priests, bishops, and cardinals wail and weep—they then must bribe the Holy Spirit to make them unseen and to grant a devil some mercy so they can equate reason with just cause. Saved by killing grace is an ancient-time story told by holy men and charlatans alike, to quell the townsfolk’s rage, make them extinguish their torches, disarm them their pitchforks. Cast a spell so strong everyone slumbers into deep sleep. Create phony gods who wield heavy tridents and purport to control the powerful tides, speak of a minotaur man, a lady swan, dark angels who fall from the sky. Such wonderful creatures now speak through a mortal man, who has sinned more than the atoned, yet absolves with pocked penance, just to reach God on a direct telephone line.
William Teets, born in Peekskill, New York, has recently relocated to Southeast Michigan. He misses New York pizza, the Hudson River, and Fran, Remember the Good Times ’68. Mr. Teets’ work has been published in numerous literary journals, including Ariel Chart, Drunk Monkeys, Nine Muses Review, Underbelly Press, New Feathers Anthology, and Inlandia. A collection of his poetry, After the Fall, was published by Cajun Mutt Press in February 2023.
