Marsh Hawk Review

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Jamey Hecht

     Get It Right (for Xenophanes)

To horses, God is a horse. To bears,
God is a great brown bear. To sad
nostalgic midlife bachelors, what wears
Creation’s crown is Someone who once had

a Garden with two friends inside, who left
because they wanted more. Elsewhere now,
they write; they multiply; they ply their deft
maneuvers in the bay, their bobbing prow

cleaving the foam. To fools who blew their shot
at love, God is a dashing, suave Don Juan.
Committed to nobody’s survival, not
even His own, He loves what isn’t gone:

the starry darkness of the open night.
God’s whatever you are, so get it right.


    
Father McKenzie’s Banquet

Father McKenzie rinses rice so thoroughly,
you’d think it was a formal feast for twelve
that he’s preparing. Not that he’s overly
concerned; Apostles may invite themselves

at any time. Unshaven, he’s past caring;
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Paul,
George and Ringo in the window staring
at his supper would be welcome, each and all.

Old Miss Rigby’s number is around here
somewhere. From the saucepan, steam
rises up to whisper in his ear:
Romance, romantic love, love, the dream

that spread its ancient wings and disappeared
so long ago? Still here. Still starving, as you feared.