The Prophet’s Lipstick (A Poem About Isaiah)

Now I know what Isaiah did when he was
Playing around with fire as a poetic
Experiment to see what God
Might say through the dancing

Of the flames. Somehow he saw
A flame that told him his lips were unclean
Or maybe the dead skin told him that
And he thought what if fire could make

My mouth pure so that prophetic fire
Would simply shoot out of it without
Corruption; so he took some tongs and
Grabbed one of the coals in his fire

And as he moved the coal towards his
Face, he started to tremble and put it
Back but something steadied his hand
And let him dab the coal gently at his lips,

Surprising him with how brief the pain
Lasted, and he would then rub ashes
From the coal back and forth on his lips
So that his disfigurement would show and

All of his words would be taken with a grain
Of salt, but before he was done moving the
Coal across his lips, he heard a voice that said
“Who will go for us?” And he licked his lips and said:

“Here am I; send me.”