Crossing Crosses

Crossing Crosses

Warm sinshine brushes cross a cheek
leaves crunch and crackle – underfoot. Trees
surround and protect,

Chilled processed air is stagnant,
seas of gray tombstone chairs stare –
awaiting a sermon,

The clearing ahead, bullfrogs and crickets
practice their choir. Old wooden benches
lined face forward,

Specked dull blue carpet leads
to the stage, a low rise platform
void of color.

A small wooden fence to mark the end
of the hilltop, rocks and rushing water --
below. To the right, a cross-

The baptismal lays a drowning pool of insects
the back wall towering over, the overseer of the tombstones.
no adornments, save a cross,

Its splintering logs held together by rope and nail
no robe, no crown, no dignity
just wood – a symbol

With smooth dark stain finish
held tight by screws and steel
purple rich robe flowing

The hilltop cross and mountain top high-
Faith. The manufactured cross hung low
on the wall of a church-
a Formality—