Graveyard God
Graveyard God

They cast you in the role of savior,
cast you in bronze and agony.
They planted you in their cemetary --
          a metallic tree
                    with dying fruit.
You're authentic to the smallest scar.
They fashioned you well,
fastened you better
with thick bronze bolts
through the holes in your limbs.

They're afraid you might fall,
might shatter their dreams,
leave them without salvation
          or guilt.
So once a year, a man
checks the locknuts
to make sure you don't escape death
again.


@ 1995
Daryl Hrdlicka