the con job in poetry

the major difference between a church service
and a comic book convention seems to be
that at least congoers
admit to reality again
come Monday morning

I am not Superman
not Wolverine and there is not a choir unseen
that will smite all your enemies
if you just wish hard enough
you don't pack away your fantasies
why must we?

if I wore a cape around the city
with a letter on my chest
punching muggers and yelling
"foul varlet crime does not pay!"
I'd be taken for crazy
but when you pray
you get to not be?

religion's after all
so often the final refuge of narcissists
unable to dominate others as they'd wanted
they yield to an imaginary power
they you believe can instead
but I can't wear
a bat-shaped cowl upon my head?

that's not goddamned fair
all or nothing
either you give up pretending
or you give me laser eyes
either you stop going to church
or I'm allowed to fly