We have been warriors for the word
prize fighters for the pomp of poetry
and angry victims of the fools who do not dare.

So, I feel no guilt when I tell you
we have missed the truth –
God is in the the mouth of a giant elephant
somewhere in northern India
pretending to be a wad of half-chewed leaves.

In fact, I feel relieved to finally share the truth
with someone else who might understand
that revelation is the well-picked nose
everyone else is too embarrassed to watch.

I suspect, we’ll both fight on, my friend,
you, blowing your horn until the gates of heaven crack
and me, the martyr dancing in a rain of stones.

We, the army of the word.