sure there’s church but then there’s the Citgo on the corner of woodlawn & main

with a eucharist of packaged goods boasting life years past expiration     & beer

the flavor of the aluminum can     & the three men with red-rimmed eyes

who maintain the glass case of bongs with the sign *for tobacco use only*

mhiamour is crying in my arms & my son stares at a man with acrylic white skin

who tells my daughter    in spanish   that she is beautiful    outside

his chihuahua stands guard    her belly swollen & nipples

like the heads of a sprinkler     am i wrong to see madonna    gabriel

& the crucified three?   they are half dead already & so am i    probably

it has been a while since i’ve been to church but i still know holy ground when i see it

i push across the counter a cosmic brownie    a bag of candy corn    &   a canned margarita

one half of a 2 for $5       the man calls me love and offers me a lime

                                                               no charge.