Revenant Religion

           Revenant Religion

The ancient skies were filled with gods and gods

And gods.  We sickened of them, most of them.

The priests and prophets held them up at odds

With us.  The gods were one vile diadem

That crowned creation.  But these gods were red

As death in slit-throat, crushed-skull scarlet.  Life

Was ripped from chests on altars.  Gods fed

On flesh of kids.  Those gods grew fat on strife.

They’re dead now, aren’t they?  Islamists are not

Convinced.  The Allah whom they worship stabs

And slashes with his martyr bombers, hot

With hatred.  Deities, it seems, are scabs

With blood beneath that still can murder us.

Some deities persist like poisoned pus.