a beginning, dedicated to fundamentalism.

When I walked out the door,
he said,
good luck.
Just remember,
the road to hell is paved
with good intentions,
but, sir,
I meant to say,
I will reach a well-paved hell
gladly
and with signing
sooner than meet
whatever alternative you would have me
pointed towards
and you should know,
a wiser man than you once told me
there is no compass to this,
I spent the first 15 years of my life,
in a school
learning to pray like porcelain
to speak proper and softly
like a woman
to respect the powerful
like they could nail
through my wrist
it’s not to say
it didn’t make me who I am
just that it also grew
forest fires between my joints
and I am still burning.