they gut the God from me
with their guns
their knives
their bare hands
carve Him from my corners
every nook and cranny becomes abyss
black as their gunpowder eyes
their void hearts
their charred teeth
they flame my faith away
inside out like
a backwards bullet wound
but their hands
hold newborns
wipe away tears
clasp in prayer
but
no
they’re
digging at my soul
twisting Him out
cutting Him out
clawing Him out
ripping Him out
sawing Him out
slitting Him out
scraping Him out
scooping Him out
****** Him out
shooting Him out
until
I am a shell
I am a chamber
until
I’m relinquished to men
made in His image