A Hymn For The Exiled


one two three four five six seven

the word came down to him from heaven

and naked as an animal, he knew:

everything of flesh and bone

he could call it all his own

if he could name it, he could lay claim to it, too


but after all the word was spoken

you sent him out into the open

all alone to make his broken promise whole again

eight nine ten eleven twelve

did you see how far he fell?

did you watch him covering his body in his shame?


and wanting you near him

though you couldn’t hear him

he was falling down with your name in his mouth


a thousand thousand years pass through me

stoned on loneliness and movies

where people make their love in foreign tongues

every family locks their door

every man in uniform

reminds me of the body of my own one


i knew you before i met you

i’ve forgotten why i left you

all i wanna do is get back into your good grace

call you by your hundred names

till it makes you mine again

till i get my will back in this godforsaken place


i want you near me

i know you can’t hear me, now

but i’m falling down with your name

i want you near me

i wish you could hear me, now

while i’m falling down with your name in my mouth