The Supplicant

The Supplicant

  prays for birds
before an ancient icon-­
      a stray cat.

The inbred need
      to pray
is what makes God
      necessary,

and not, she says,
  the other way
       around;
  beyond that

  it's all mystery,
 so don't question
why Man creates gods
      that demand

        sacrifice,
condemning mortals
to spend their lives
    trying to praise

godhead into mercy.
     Better instead
 to ask the frog
 to bless the fly,

and, once the cheese
    is in the trap,
 to beg forgiveness
    from the rat.

Appeared in Poetry