Forced Majeure

Beasts gather on upper floor
Sweet smoke scent
Each choked sense sends
speech-invoking incensed deus
Intent: betray us

Latent slumbering lumbricine’s
belated lumbering seems to mean
blunder in scene switched sepia

Nostalgia seeps here, there
Secret fear, public prayer
See Peter stand, ponder, stare
as charcuterie of justice declares worthy ever beast
of devourment through trust at heavenly feast

Unleavened, raised not by yeast
Bedevilled priest slumps in dejection
Facing beasts who prepare his injection
“Objection!
Let they with no sin mete out correction”

Reflecting thusly
priest and beasts grow thinner
Collecting thoughts
all turn to the mirror
Man stares back at a world of sinners