Monotheism:

Monotheism:

Imagine sitting at the ocean's edge,

the beach, pebbles rather than sand

(the better for effect); you stare

at the waves as they, like gay children, run forth

match your breath, the expansion, recession of your lungs —

a union without touching.

Imagine climbing a tree

and sitting on the thin branch,

feeling it creak beneath your weight

yet holding you up

so you can see into a distance as far away

as childhood.

Imagine finding the cave

and in the darkness

listening to the drip...drip...drip...from stalactites —

lime’s heartbeat, accumulating in spires

both up and down —

teeth for eating air and nightmares.

Imagine the ocean, the tree, the cave

and you

experiencing moments of stillness, of wonder,

of belonging, without the need for a blood connection

and explain how we can forget

and rend the earth as if the other-worlds

have never existed —

some blame the devil

or greed

or a longing to return to the mother's cave,

perch in the mother's branch,

hear the mother's ocean within the safe zone —

not me though —

I blame a God

so needy It/He/She must deny the existence

of everything —

even It/His/Herself.