Idolatry
Parchment promises shining sharply
fancy letters scrawled in dried blood,
brown and peeling over the course of
more than two centuries
requires fresh flowing red ink
coursing
from the veins of our children
who ask for an egg but to whom we hand
a venomous snake snapping with
bullet-shaped fangs
spilling
from the arteries of our enemies
who we pray for
(though it’s for their deaths)
spurting
from the still-beating hearts of our neighbor
who we leave along the side of the road
to Jericho
Our shining metal idol
fashioned
across ages
forged
in the sweat of our freedom
hammered
into shape with each shot
triggered
by our fear
(despite our desperate protestations to the contrary)
demands
its violent sacrifice
and
crying
we
feed
it.
We pray as we willingly hand over our children
We the People pray as we willingly hand over our neighbors
We the People of the United States of America pray that it is not us who is handed over next.
The idolatrous ink runs red once more
and we wash our hands of the whole affair
trying in vain to keep the fresh blood from dripping
on our Sunday best
while consoling ourselves because after all
what more could we possibly do?
Matt Schur hails from Lincoln, Nebraska, where he lives with his wife Karin and their two children. He holds a BA in English from Truman State University and an MA in Systematic Theology from Luther Seminary. When he’s not writing, Matt assists people experiencing homelessness as a full-time housing specialist and case manager. His previous work has been featured in Valiant Scribe, and in 2021 he published his first poetry collection, entitled Cross Sections. Matt recommends the People’s City Mission.
