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RALPH MONDAY
Jesus on the Chalkboard
The first time the girl had visions
her teacher (a sensible Methodist)
asked her to calm down and made a
note to refer her to the counselor.
After all, Catholics had always been a
bit bizarre.
The second was during a history lesson:
Augustine, no less. There would be no
time for this superstitious baloney. Her
parents would have to be informed, but
they only dribbled at the mouth and smiled
a bit...their English quite poor.
By this time the girl was dressing in rags and
Ashes. Throngs had begun to follow her about
and mill like herded cattle waiting the milking:
Some blind, some lame, a few epileptic, most
just plain stupid.
All, of course, were healed.
That's what TV will do.
Discovery got scent of the story.
A Catholic priest or two even whispered to the Vatican.
One became a Wiccan, the other went to Sweden for the
Change.
The healed didn't know if they were sick or not;
The cameras rolled anyway. Visions and optics
danced in their heads while the homebound sixpacks
inflated the nightly ratings before going to work
to discuss the latest millenium bug.
Anyway, something had to be done. They powdered and
buffed up the girl. The teacher had taken early retirement.
Buzzers buzzed; suits smiled tenderly; lenses clicked
for the Enquirer and the parents hired a lawyer.
Of course they drooled all over him; he pretended not
to mind.
On the chalkboard, she said. See!
They all intelligently scratched their heads.
Not really, however, bimbos at home
sucked the show down through their hairdos.
They had seen plenty through their legs.
On the chalkboard! He's here!
Everyone cared, of course; this was a sympathetic
Time.
The girl made some swirling hand incantations,
tossed a few flea market crosses.
He'll leave if you don't see.
The director yelled, CUT!
They all split.
The girl ran after them with a few neatly
ripped magazine photos.
This is what he looks like.
They were all playing hooky,
even the Baptists.
After awhile someone cleaned the board.
Copyright 1999 Ralph Monday
(all rights reserved; To copy or translate this poem, please contact the poet)
TRANSLATOR and ILLUSTRATOR WANTED FOR THIS PAGE
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