Martyred

Ah well for this physical body!
—Being a big shot is so very hard
—But so is being invisible in this world.
Better to take this one immortal chance
And live forever.
—No more taxes or floggings,
—No more reminders to do what must be done
—No more hunger or human desire
Frankly, given the alternatives,
Feeding a hungry lion once, seems better
Than feeding the cruelty and endless cravings
Of Romans and Christians
For day after dreary day.

Imagine all this, just being eaten
By a creature acting precisely as he was made
Will prove to my desperate fellow believers
That things unseen may actually have being,
That God is indeed a god,
That Christ is most truly risen
Just because our bones are gnawed upon by cats.

Now everything is solved,
I never was the type to love, or turn the cheek,
Or look inside for kingship or glory.
But this I can do, pretend there is no pain,
Imagine that the loss of living is no loss.
And they find it impressive.  Good,
I’ve always thought
I’d be good at dying.
And all the silly goats
Will bleat that this process
That tears me limb from limb
Shows how the Word made flesh
Turns human flesh to dinner —No,
Shows how the unseen flesh gives much greater pleasure
Than flesh that is dying.

Let them think what they want.
I’ve always wanted to get more attention.
—Now that will happen.