Parable

I give you a rudder to hold.Upon the rudder the forgottenverses of Luke.Like this one that comesjust after Jesus pulls the squirrel from the chimney:It is a leprous vermin but I say unto you it is your brethren.Put a wafer in his stomach and preen him rakish for his entrance into heaven.The disciples were in awe.The disciples were savvy with a scissors.In this picture, Simon Petergives Jesus a close shave with a razor.In this picture a flounder peersfrom the dark cistern of the sea.The caption reads: “God Wonders”When the martyr knew his body would disintegrate on a familiar shorehow pleased he was to die.His wife removed the “Bring the Martyrs Home Safe” sign from the lawn.She wrapped her body in pearls.As the disciples rolled their palms over her opal nipplesshe felt like foggy dawn, like the heron where he stood.__Kaethe Schwehn’s work has appeared in or is forthcoming from jubilat, The Literary Review, Crazyhorse and A Sing Economy (an anthology from Flim Forum Press). Kaethe currently lives in Northfield, Minnesota and teaches at St. Olaf College.