praying with snakes

my friend jimmy asks me to

go to his new church

with him.

so i look at my watch and say,

okay, why not.

maybe there's some single

women there.

he shakes his head, and says

that's not what it's all about.

whatever, i tell him.

so we go.

it's wild. people are throwing

snakes around to each

other, speaking in tongues.

rolling on the floor 

having convulsions. 

what the hell, i say out loud.

and jimmy laughs,

i told you it was wild.

look out here comes a 

copper head right at you.

go ahead and pick one up.

he shows me the bite marks

on his arm, swollen and red.

if one bites you and you live,

it means that God loves you.

and if you don't live,

well, that's a shame.

straight to hell you go.