Talking with Mary

On the week before, the week before, the week before Christmas

I haven’t shopped at Jared’s or Kay’s or Zale’s

Because diamonds have more to do with blood than love, but

I was talking with a friend

Who 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 dreams of becoming a virgin, again

But not to be holy or pure

She said she wants to be a virgin, again

So men won’t think they own her

She said she wishes she could take her children back and

Hold them to her breast

She said she talks to statue of Mary and

Mary talks back

Mary said she likes lowing cattle, angels singing in night and

The smell of sheep, dirt, hay and the sweat of Joseph

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

To a quaint country village for an anniversary weekend

Mary said she is thankful for three strangers at her door

The gold, frankincense and myrrh

Mary said she used their gifts to bribe the border guards and

Keep her baby at her breast

She said she talks with the statue of Mary and

Mary cries

12-6-21

**I don’t know when this was written. He read it at Red Bank Christmas in Dec. 2021. One of his BEST.