POETRY
Prophecy at Sagrada Familia
“Prophecy at Sagrada Familia” read by Cody Adams.
I’m perched on a cedar bench
beneath the behemoth
shadow of a church that’s
been under construction before
Europe begat World Wars.
A tangled heap of dread,
cut from Montjuïc sandstone,
slithered across the facade.
I locked eyes with the snake. It
didn’t blink for an hour, but neither did
I. His forked tongue flung hexes
over a sea of tourists. I gnawed
on a lamb kebab I got from the street
vendor with three teeth. Consecrating the final
bite, I stood and whipped the nugget
at the stone serpent. Just before the projectile
struck his hideous head, a pigeon
descended from a hidden cove between
St. John’s legs and snatched the offering.
White paint blinded the snake’s eyes.
The statue of St. John and his
animated companions stretched their grey
mouths wide, looked to the church’s
invisible peak, and belted in unison:
“Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus”
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Cody Adams is an expatriate teaching literature in Toronto, Ontario. His poetry and fiction have appeared in Ekstasis Magazine, Three Line Poetry, Cacti Fur, Defenestration, among others. He also serves as a Board Member for Forefront Festival.
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Image: La Sagrada Familia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Heart of Flesh Literary Journal 
Congratulations on a vivid, powerful piece! You’ve crafted imagery so alive it practically breathes from the page. The tension, humor, and wonder you weave together make the ending feel downright transcendent. Well done!
Gio – your brother in Christ
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The writing has changed my life. The intricate wording, and beautiful flow of the story helped me open my eyes and see literature in a new way. This writing deserves multiple awards.
-Lara
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