Joseph A Farina

POETRY

Lambs of God

flawed by sins
we were inclined to
we took comfort
in your daily bread
at morning mass
recited prayers of absolution
before the bell began our day

we learned our holy catechism
bowed and stood when father entered
asking each his daily question
of trinity and brotherhood

we were the last innocents.
no other generation would
be safe from all the temporal truths
that we were sheltered from

now we battle with ourselves
the pain of choice
the pain of lies
no one to reassure us
carrying
our children’s sins
upon ourselves
penance for our lack of wisdom
and our revolt of paradise.

shrovetide

penitents prepare for their austerity
some reveling in masks and feathers, others
shoeless and barefoot bearing pain
to their altars brandishing their blood
in zealot pride their faces shine
they have touched their God
they have borne the cross
rewarded with obscene bloodstreams
that will carry them to paradise
consciences and souls cleaned
and wrapped in the glory of his cloth

Joseph A Farina is a retired lawyer and award-winning poet, and a pushcart nominee. His poems have appeared in Philadelphia Poets, Tower Poetry, The Windsor Review, and Tamaracks: Canadian Poetry for the 21st Century. He has three books of poetry published: The Cancer Chronicles, The Ghosts of Water Street, and The beach, the street and everything in between.

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