Heaven and earth do not meet
Within the aging brick
And fading wood
And could-be-more-vibrant glass
Of All Saints Catholic Church

Though that's what they'll tell you

So.

You want to kiss a saint
On her filthy bare feet
And **** the blood
Off her slender fingers

Leave that church
- the doors will open themselves -
And head North

Turn your gaze from the feathery clouds
And the pale sunbeams
In which you think you've spotted divinity

Consider the worms curled in death
Obscured by the heat radiating off the Texas sidewalk
Marvel at how their bodes
have dried in the shape
Of a bishop's staff

Don't pass the king
Emptied of all that was once within him
And you may be in the right place to be spoken to
By Margaret

Margaret is a ******

That's what they'll tell you

Margaret prays for you to be a mother
Margaret prays for you to find a husband
Margaret prays for a father
To give you Catholic babies

That's what they'll tell you

But my mother was born
And I was baptized
On the twentieth of July
And Margaret has taken an interest in me

Because Margaret likes to slay dragons

One childhood morning
On the way to hear one of those puerile homilies
From ignorant Alfonse
While Mary cringed in the pews
Or hateful Michael
While Phoebe rose in disgust and marched to the atrium
Margaret revealed what she had done for me

"I've done more than slay the dragons.
I've stolen your money
And you cannot afford the white gowns they told you to buy
I've melted the garish, yellow band from your finger
And burned your hand with a fiery breath
I've shredded your womb from the inside
With my wooden sword
I've freed you, baby
To love and live and leave"

But Margaret would never say such things
And Margaret would never speak to me

That's what they'll tell you

margaret

Langit ang nagbigay biyaya nang ambon ay dinilig
Ang aking hiling sa panginoon ay biglang nadinig
Pinadala ang anghel na sa mundo ko’y yayanig
Tinawag ng ng kanyang tinig, at Napatulala sa mga Titig

Maari bang malaman ang yong pakay sa akin
Kung ikaw ba ay pasakit at tuluyan na akong wawasakin?
Laging kong tanong kung ano ba ang dapat kong gawin
Kung ang kahulugan mo ay kabiguan patuloy pa ba kitang iibigin?

Nagtatanong kay Bathala, Paano ko ba mapapaliwanag ang  hiwaga
Nitong pagmamahal na kung bakit sa puso kumapit ka ng kusa
Ako’y nagtataka’t di maka paniwala Bakit ito ang yong ginawa
Sa bigay **** biyaya, Ano ba ang kasalanan ko  para isinumpa

Gaano ba kita pinapahalagahan? Alam mo ba ang dahilan?
Hiling ko lang ay sanay iyong maunawaan itong nararamdaman
Kaya ang paliwanag ko ay simple nalang
Masikip dito sa loob ko, kaya ang kasya ay ikaw lang

Alaalang bitbit pano ko makakalimutan
Kung Sa puso koy nakaukit  ang yong pangalan
Ibinalot ng tatag ng loob para ika’y ipaglalaban
Di kita hahayaang lumuha lagi kang aalagaan.

Nagaabang ng sasakyan para dalhin sa langit, iwan ang mundo
Nakikiusap Pagbigyan sana Hiling makamit, Anghel na sundo
Saan nga ba tayo patungo? Byaheng langit sa impyerno,
Sa isipan kong magulo, Kasinungalingan ka ba o Totoo?

Linalaro sa panaginip ang dakilang pagsuyo
Tuluyang Hinamon Ang matapang na puso
Sayo napalapit at ayaw nang lumayo
Ang silakbo ay di na kaya, kayang isuko

kahit ano dito sa lupain ay handa kong ialay
Pagkat ang langit sa akin ay una mo nang binigay
Ang halaga mo sa akin ay Walang katumbas na materyal
Dahil Di kayang sukatin kung gano kita kamahal