"He who knows only his Bible knows not even his Bible." -- Michael F. O'Rourke, my dad.

Your poet, sir, is a most unruly beast.
Unmannerly mentioning disturbing themes
and sharp-edged shards of truth,

he will up-end all table talk
and balk at bourgeois etiquettes which forbid
us drawly, gentle Southern folk

to mention politics or church.
Your poet, sir, I must insist,
should not be asked to dinner.

And yet, and yet, and yet,
your poet, sir, is building up
another testament.