Page 87 - WTP Vol. VI #4

But I don’t say it. Jesus might appreciate it, but the words on my tongue—they won’t take the plunge.
Stop. Jesus in the form of a goat—he walks beside, but he won’t look me in the eye. Not for a week. But then I’ll go to The Living Room come Sun-
day, women speaking tongues and the rock band turned up loud, “Beg Forgiveness. Beg His forgive- ness...” And in my heart I’ll beg, and Jesus in the form of a goat, he’ll bow his head and I’ll pet him right between the horns.
“Yeah,” I say. The room returns to normal. Jesus in the form of a goat bleats loud, but his size doesn’t account for shit. “Take this. The extra mud. It’s no good for me. After it’s open. I don’t reuse it. You take it. And next time, do as I showed you. Feath- er it. Feather it out.”
Outside with the mud left behind, thirty-dollar bucket, I don’t feel it. Not like I did inside. With the cash, I’ll buy coffee. Real coffee from the Quik-
Smith is an English teacher and MFA student. His work has received an honorable mention from Glimmer Train Press and has been pub- lished or is forthcoming in Welter, HCE Review, The Cossack Review as well as a few others.
Orb series 1
glazed ceramic
and bamboo
14'' x 6-1/2'' x 6-1/2'' By Lorraine DeProspo