impassioned rapture preacher
standing upon a pulpit shouting
his flock held in sway
wide-eyed and under the hypnotic spell
“amen” and “hallelujah”  float towards
outstretched arms clad in black
banging fists and utilizing rising inflections
messages of hate and dissention fall
onto interested and impressionable ears
frightened youth peer into shadows
ask Yahweh for protection
cry to Allah for love
pray Jesus will save them  
from imaginary spooks
created by elderly pedophiles
bent on the emotional
and physical destruction
of their own constituents
clasped hands, wringing
begging on bended knee
for some semblance of peace
to befall and bless their broken bodies –