and there but for the grace of God…by MEH

Fallen Angel, by Alexandre Cabanel (France) 1868.

and there but for the grace of God…
  
as the other morning stars sing
and clap their hands— a ring of rose
clothed in blue rejoicing— two look
bound in a sorrow, soon to join him.
as other eyes embrace the light,
turn toward the clouds, these
cradle a grief: his empty arms,
the thorns which slither about his naked
thighs, feathers slowly shedding
rainbow for ash, adopting the dust
and clay over which they watch.
and though they see his hands— clasped,
but not in prayer— his fading back
hides the fangs in eyes and brows,
the red curls uncoiling toward
the Garden. they can’t see the tears
he sheds for when their time will come.
 
MEH

MEH is Matthew E. Henry, a Pushcart nominated poet with recent works appearing or forthcoming in Amethyst Review, The Ekphrastic Review, Longleaf Review, The Radical Teacher, Teach. Write, and 3Elements Review. MEH is an educator who received his MFA from Seattle Pacific University, yet continued to spend money he didn’t have pursuing a MA in theology and a PhD in education.