What Tertullian Said
by
Radiance Angelina Petro

After morning, the day says:
“Let’s put it this way, etcetera, etcetera.”
And I wake, rubbing up against reality,
the small self rebinding.

The rainmaker has come to town,
and, on behalf of silence, I will
knock the angel’s mouth
away from Mary’s ear.

We are all walking gravemarkers,
and the frogs with the golden eyes
are better gods.

The world moves in languages,
and the other dead are telling us things–
about how everyday ends unfinished.
Radiance, use your metaphoric mind
for the better use of hope, and say along
with Tertullian: “I believe because it’s absurd.”