CREDO

by Catherine Wald






I believe in The Messiah.

Especially when the
soprano sings
Rejoice
great-
ly.

Rejoice isn’t a word
that is bandied
about much
these days,
which is
too bad.

On the other hand, I
don’t miss the
references to
sin, spitting
and smiters.

Here’s
my confession: I
love music more than
religion, more than God,
way more than country.

All the mighty chorales
of Paradise could only
play second fiddle to
a well-honed coloratura.

If Hell has the tunes, vocal
acrobatics and orchestration,
that’s where you’ll find me


Catherine Wald’s chapbook Distant, burned-out stars was published by Finishing Line Press in 2011. Poems have appeared in American Journal of Nursing, Buddhist Poetry Review, Chronogram, Dragonfly, Friends Journal, J Journal, Jewish Literary Journal, "Metropolitan Diary" (The New York Times), Minerva Rising, Quarterday Review, The Lyric and Westchester Review.  She is author of The Resilient Writer: Tales of Triumph and Rejection from 23 Top Authors (Persea 2004).