Anthony Heykoop

A Poem

I’ve seen those from my own home I’ve grown under

Bow the knee to Molech, call it MAGA

Rather than their own children they sacrifice

The pro-right, not-quite-pro-life, Leviticus 20 verse 5

Threw alive to Molech’s fire Tamir Rice

That ghastly cam interaction lasted less than 2 seconds,

What happened? He fired twice

Morally haphazardous,

Before they had the law they crafted a golden calf

But we erect a smelted heifer, pregnant with prejudice,

 

Inverse Nebuchadnezzar

“The man on his knees is lesser,” you say,

I’m oppressed by this silent aggressor!” Please.

Colin, the image of God, a scumbag? [Calling the image of God a scumbag]

Do you know what that is?

A latex sack of ejaculate; Dizzying

Your mental gymnastics,

Contrasting the fact

You curse those who love you, it’s backwards!

 

Matthew 5 says “Bless’ed”

But Luke 6 says “Woe” to those who are well fed

Do you suppose that God opposes your intentioned indifference

to your neighbor? Corinthians 12:26

Cut out with a razor.

 

When one part of the body hurts, impertinent craters are placed

Between race. Felt exposed in your Bible-belt

So you throw stones from the safety

Of your 8-state safe space; Wait-

 

I’ve a plank in my own eye, too

When I blank the face of my neighbor, ignore their stories on the news

I grew up in that place

partaking in sin manifested

within the walls of a First insert denomination here Church.

Our sins are not small specks,

Violently apathetic, neglected the

“Right Now Kingdom of God” in our own backyard

Soured homiletic effectively backed down from Romans 12:15

Saying, “Jesus is the answer,

“so my hands are tied”

We’re seen, as we scorn those who mourn.

 

Nero fiddled while Rome burned away,

But we did little more when Baltimore caught flame

than cast disapproving glances at communities in pain.

It’s 2018 and I’m 4 years too late

But it’s more than that if you consider my age.

I can’t blame it all on where and when I was raised

So in meekness I pray, blessed are those who mourn

Seeking his Kingdom, in Matthew 5:4

Come quickly, King Jesus, and forgive me.

Anthony Heykoop is a creative writer, photographer, mountain runner, and lifelong nomad. He got his B.A. in Global Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and is currently a Master's student at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan. Some short poems and nomad photos can be found on his Instagram @Russ490

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