She weeps the same tears as Mary
Her knees accustomed to supporting the
weight of her frame and heart
                              filled heavy of faith
Kneeling alone in Mayan church
Once una missa catolica ends with
     newfound guilts and
     displeasures of the personal
Faces sketched haunted having filed out
Her family gone as well
     Those who labeled her with madness
     in turn doing so - damned
No need to anchor once outside Eden
in the whites of the eyes
     it is found
          The madness born
The fever raging is the defense
     A hollow cry of mercy of the soul
Torment in the pulse
                    divined
She comes directly to Christ
for she gives no trust
     to eyes that shift through the priesthole
Her prayers are for God - her pity for the church
Beneath the statuette of Jesus
                              spread out bloody on wood
                              in spiritualized, unnatural death
her brown hands clasp for strength,
     bright teeth bite beads
This the very moment of mercy!
                              Impassioned sister,
                                                 call to him!
Pray his name aloud
     in the wail that unhinges the priest
     and startles the nuns
          who in turn pray for her
          to find comfort through silence
Find your forgiveness come streaming through your cries
In this house meant for the holy
Oh bascillica
     open thy creaking doors to the mad
     Darken the glass stained of sins
     Candles at altar burning for the insane
     Bells ringing summoning the deranged
     Organs chiming Bach for the crazed
     Fill the pews with lunatics
     and bring them a saint
                           that they may call their own
Oh bascillica - Oh priest
     begin this acceptance now with the one who
quietly sobs
head dropped
hands relaxed on thighs in hopelessness
still keeping thoughts to the grotesque carving of the
savior above her
Bless her!
Virgin angel
Her white dress soiled with the blood she menstrates


                                                  -Dylan Wahl
                                                   
                                                   copyright 1997