Friday, November 4, 2022

is that all you got

it's father smith
on the other side of confessional
screen.
my knees
ache already
from kneeling, and we've
only just now
got started.
it's been five decades
since my last
confession, i tell him,
then continue on with
the script
that i'm reading on my
phone
through the Catholic
channel app.
i know it's him,
he knows
it's me.
but we pretend otherwise.
after all
it's the church.
what's church without
mystery,
smoke and mirrors.
i mumble off a few
transgressions,
sins
of the menial kind.
just a few
minor infractions
part B's
of the ten commandments.
small potatoes in the scheme
of things.
no mortal sins
to speak of.
i wait for my penance
when i finish,
but there's silence.
i hear him breathing heavily.
rattling his rosary.
i feel like
he needs a cigarette
and a drink.
and then, he says,
is that all?  really?

No comments: