I’ve had enough of the Big God—
capital letters and roman numerals
and the white flowing mane
and the brown flowing mane
and the crazy holy bird bouncing off
its reflection in the window.
Enormous erections of churches
and candles! All the burning!
Incense! Incensed! Purple cloth
and whispered recitation of sins
and the sad drizzle of the organ
and the sad collecting of money.
In the darkness tonight, I crushed
a snail under my shoe, perhaps
killing a little god. But that’s the beauty
of little gods. I can’t wait to find
a new one tomorrow!
Jim Daniels is the author of several books of poems, including, most recently, Rowing Inland and Street Calligraphy. His latest book of fiction, The Perp Walk, was published by Michigan State University Press in 2019, along with the anthology he edited with M.L. Liebler, RESPECT: The Poetry of Detroit Music.