Talking with Mary

She said she walks to church each morning

but does not go to mass

She said she lights a candle for all her children

ICE took away

She said she talks with the statue of Mary and

Mary talks back

_____

She said she avoids confession and

the man behind the screen

She said she once threw holy water on a nun

hoping she would melt

She said she dreamed of becoming a virgin, again

but not to be holy or pure

She said she wants to be a virgin

so men don’t own her

She said she wishes she could take her children back

to hold them to her breast

_____

She said she talks with the statue of Mary and

Mary talks back

She said she was made into a statue so she couldn’t run away

to a quaint country village for an anniversary weekend

She said she likes the smell of dirt, of hay, of sheep, of Joseph

lowing cattle and angels singing in the night

She said she is thankful for three strangers at her door and

the gold, frankincense and myrrh they left

She said she used their treasure to bribe the border guards and

keep her baby at her breast

_____

She said she talks with the statue of Mary and

Mary cries

11-21-19