pray for peace o jerusalem

Lord, forgive my hatred of the violent and indifferent,

for I know I have it in me to be as violent as any;

I am a loaded gun in a back pocket, I am green fire;

I have it in me to burn whole cities to the ground,

and laugh through a mask of gold, through onyx eyes;

I have it in me to kill my enemies.

I have it in me to be as violent as any,

except it’s too much trouble; the bullets are elsewhere,

the fire takes fuel, the cities are far away, and to drive there

would cost gas. A mask of gold will do as well for posing with,

it hides my wrinkles nicely. And killing leads to prison,

and I prefer to lounge at ease, slouching down dappled ways,

where if I catch the light just right,

my sloth might look like virtue, indifference like peace.

I have it in me to be as violent as any,

but I am indifferent.

Lord, forgive me.

Image credit: Cropped version of Image:Great Fire 1666.jpg, from http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/piclib/pages/bigpicture.asp?id=8. PD-US (The painting itself is from 1666, and so in the public domain.This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or less.)