sew my mouth closed
pack my tongue in
pickling salt and alum
i have no benediction
left
blessed are the hungry
they will be told to get a job
wire my jaw shut
pour fast-drying wet cement
up my nose
and leave my head in the sun
to dry
blessed are the infirm
they will die in misery
replace my head
with one of stone
use my vocal cords
for penny guitars
blessed are the other
they will be forced into corners
into alleys
into slavery of all forms
cut out of their skins
and trapped within them
——
Words and Feathers 
A benediction of no positive blessings. Interesting approach.
I was feeling grumpy.
I support the grumpiness. It’s true – ‘bestowing’ blessings are often mere patronizing. Have you seen Glenn Buttkus’ poem?
I haven’t. I’ll swing by his site. Thanks !
Packing apt punches
Thanks!
No one said it had to be positive 😉
A hungry crow is an angry crow. I like it a lot.
Thank you. I’m glad 😁
a complete surrender. ha. i like that you’re all out of benedictions though. snippy snippets
Sometimes you just can’t have a positive attitude, you know!
i DO know
But they’ll all go to heaven. It’s called pie in the sky when you die.
I think a lot of hungry people would settle for a sandwich.
A real one. Not with clouds and harps attached.
Yes.
🙂
“i have no benediction left” is just perfect, along with a lot of the other lines. Honesty and truth, no matter how hard, are better than empty platitudes.
Thanks. I’m not saying that encouragement isn’t necessary or helpful. But sometimes it’s better to say nothing and do something.
“Say nothing and do something” … what a manifesto!
I really liked the lines about pouring cement up the nose and using your vocal chords for penny guitars, as well as the final two lines. I definitely get in this mood from time to time and I appreciate your not backing away from how you feel.
Thank you. I’m glad you could appreciate it. 🙏
I feel there are those that are blessed with everything… (including a tax-cut)
No argument here.
blessed are the grumpy poets
posterity shall feast on their starvation
❤
Or I’ll have to eat my own words. So. Bitter.
I get the attitude, love the poetry. Angry words are sometimes the most vivid colors — not just dark, but hot and piercing.
Thank you so much. You’re right. That’s the real payoff to writing. That piercing moment.
Well, that and saying something lasting and profound. I sometimes despair of writing on the internet, because nothing is lasting.
Lasting = lucky as far as I can tell. And I can’t pretend to be profound, but sometimes I can see where to put the knife, metaphorically.
Yeah. Perhaps my fault is that I draw the knife from the drawer, leave it rest on the counter where everyone sees it, and then…. I always have enjoyed Hitchcock.
Bad attitude and cement can produce art a serial killer would love. Dark and volatile — love it!
🌹