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Sunday, August 02, 2020

THE AMERICAN GOSPEL (2020 EDITION)

by Avalon Felice Lee





In the beginning…
January judgment 
Red hat, white lies
"The flu is worse!" he scorns
as his gavel cudgels China, the blue-faced, the blue-lunged
The pen of law
holds the ink for healthcare blueprints. 
The dough in his fist
for swab tests; for the people. 
              
February denial
Nailed wrists, or tied hands?
Our savior, or an excuse?
Americans,
             repent!
                          Beware of
                                       fake news
                                                    sham gold
                                                                 idols— 
Nothing to worry about! Nothing at all!
Come to the altar, worship whoever’s crowned
The winged choir guard the American garden
from Wuhan fiends
And so, nib unscathed
Pockets heavy

The Gospel
Good thing he cares for his shares 
The yeast for His bread
unrisen, decayed
So, He Marches forward
And trumpets that “the numbers are good” as is
apparently
contrarily

But April showers make faith dour.
Just in case, behind Jericho bricks
He breaks bread
for swab tests; for His people
crumbs

Oh, you sinner
Cast doubt from your mind!
May you rejoice!
The Savior saves His people!
Good thing he cares for his shares.

Revelation
Though idols dine in violet silkone day
the synthetic dye will blanch
Dress in your Sunday best, filter masks
Earth will soon steal the recipe for
manna
Sacrifice pedestrian beer
for communion wine, Purell
June bugs, heathens, see the sunup
The world ends not with a virus!
(But by the folly of man.)


Avalon Felice Lee is an Asian-American Californian. She has been writing poetry and prose since the age of eleven. Her works have been published in The Heritage Review, Kalopsia Literary Journal, and elsewhere.