when they were dragging his son bloody

behind the pick up truck   the crowd gathering

along the side of the road and around the tree

waiting to get their piece    god didn’t bother pretending

he would cut the boy loose or even that he should  

he had become practiced in cruelty and knew

how this boy’s mother could sing a church down

if she was hurting good enough and god had been hurting

for her to loose even one good wail and doesn’t everyone

deserve a treat?  would you feel better

if I said he had a hell warming for the crowd

who cheered as the boy begged for his life?    

what precisely do you want from a father

determined to beat his own wickedness from his child?