God Never Came There

Broken beams across the doorway
Plaster cracked and peeling paper
Nicolette wears dirty dresses
Bathes herself in last week's water
Their roofs are tin-beaten metal
The skeletal have rusty voices
Sylvio, he sleeps on headlines
Dreams of love and lemon ices

But he doesn't believe, he no longer prays
What's the point, He's not listening anyway
'Cause God never came here
He sold them a lie
God made a fool of them
God passed them by

God resents the global franchise
Bodies packed like saints entombed
Give us now your happy meals
Bless us in the baby boom

We starve and you demand we pray
To the faces etched in stone
Auction up your ancient wealth
So we can build ourselves a home

We need blankets, not you blessings
Send us shoes instead of angels
Time instead of bibles
Bring us bread instead of prayers

2001 Happenstance