I wasamong the possessed
to employ lesser means
in pursuit of lesser ends
They can’t make their deals
unless you force their hand.

It’s been over a month of Sundays
since they were taking the census
of the hairs on everybody’s asses.

It’s small consolation
to engage in worship
of the towering idols.
The idol is not a demigod
a demigod can’t be a god.
Which is why we trace the birthline
where the ancestor once multiplied,
assigning numbers to their embrace
the same way we count raindrops.

By examining her hand
she is likely the woman
her fingerprint revealed

Michael Igoe, city oy, neurodiverse, Chicago now New England. Numerous works appear in journals and anthologies (available at amazon.com, lulu.com, barnesandnoble.com). National Library of Poetry(Owing Mills MD) Editor’s Choice Award 1997. Best of the Net nomination 2024. Twitter(X) Michaeligoe5, Instagram igoe590.    poetry-in-motion.org