Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Father Ayrum

“Please, father.”

A classic case of Romeo and Juliet

She was in love

And her parents did not correspond

They had even threatened to

Ex-communicate

“Child, I am sure your parents…

They can only mean the best for you---“

“Yes, I know, of course, but---“

“But your heart says otherwise.”

“Yes, yes!”

“But for a minute…

Look past the blindness of love, child.

Is this boy ideal…?

Or does he merely appear so?”

She went silent

“In all things, God chooses love.

From which party do you want, no, need love most…?

And from which party will it be returned?”


I can only hope she found her answer

Relationship advice is not my strong-suit

Especially when my other party can be so…

Distant…

At times


I know I…

Especially I…

Should not say such nonsense

But every relationship has its doubts

And the mysteries are as un-engaging at times

As they are intriguing


In example

A disturbed paedophiliac comes in

About once a month

Expelling his sins

Mournfully

Each time

I so wish I could breach that contract

Like a psychiatrist to a patient

But I am no psychiatrist

I give him the same answer every time

Only when he turns himself in

And faces his earthly punishment

Can he then absolve for his sins


I don’t know if he attends mass

He’s made a point of either concealing his voice

Or simply never speaking when near

If he does


…How can there not be doubts?

Despite the theory that most humans

Are generally good-natured at heart

Begging forgiveness,

I cannot feel sorry for a man

Who gives into temptation again and again

And makes no real attempt to change those habits


Just the other day

Some mafia thug

Came in and demanded

All held offerings

People rob banks

Not churches

This felt personal

God must have “wronged” him

But when his eyes lit up with surprise

At the few measly dollars I returned with

I knew then it was simple luck


Producing a gun he said

“Heh, where’s your god now, huh?”

To which I replied,

“This has nothing to do with God.”

Which must have frazzled him

Because he left the money and ran

With the drop of a hat

The luck had switched sides


Strange how it can sometimes

Feel far more tangible


They call me Father Ayrum

And I may well be the worst priest ever

But I didn’t exactly get into this business for…

Competitive reasons


(Not being very religious myself, I know this may seem a bit... euh... amateur I guess? But the whole idea behind confessionals has intrigued me lately, so forgive me for the blasphemy. But don't really. Because I don't actually mean it.)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The fact that I read this right after watching Dogma for the first time is probably part of some divine plan. Its purpose is outside my purview, however.

I like the last bit, with the robber. I don't know what I think about the rest of it. "Ayrum" is an interesting name.