little church in the basement of the county hospital
Justin Hyde

the book
was at the back
on a lectern
next to a cup of
pencils.

i opened
it.

people had written
pleas
to the almighty
for uncles, grandfathers
and mothers.

better off
robbing a bank
and flying in
some specialists,
i thought

but still
wrote:

please save my
girlfriend
dying of cancer
in room 314.

1996 © 2007