oestra in poetry

maybe Jesus Christ
had Himself crucified
to get Mother Mary
off His Goddamned back

"what's with all this preaching stuff?"
"there's no money in it, honey"
"go back into carpentry"
"it's steady work"
"you can make a life with it"
"and what are you doing hanging out with fishermen"
"they're bums, baby, they're all bums"
"why don't you go to the Temple instead"
"make friends with some of the money changers"
"they could be great business contacts"
"when you go back into carpentry"
"they know people"

maybe He had all He could take
maybe it was all before He would break

"and this Magdalene girl"
"I've been seeing you around with"
"I've... heard things about her"
"I'm just saying, I have heard things"
"she'll ruin your reputation, you know"
"for when you go back into carpentry"
"like you are supposed to"
"when you give up this silly messiah talk"
"when you finally grow up"

maybe Jesus knew
she would never shut up
she would
NEVER
SHUT
UP
He could lead the Jewish revolt
take back their land
kill fig trees with His hands
divide food for the masses
ride the prophesied asses
He could raise the dead
He could show God's finger
touching His head
and all Mary could say would be
"well, what will it all mean when you retire?"
"is there an IRA involved"
"in the Kingdom of God?"

and maybe Jesus couldn't take it anymore
so He told His buddy Judas
to take that bribe offered by the cops
so that He would be carted off and killed
just to get away from the nagging

maybe He told Judas to give Mary
all thirty pieces of silver
and yell at her
"there's His retirement fund"
"you crazy person"
"dreams mean more than security"
"there's higher things"
"like passions and purity"
"and maybe he's right"
"and maybe Magdalene's not the whore"
"you harpy"
"here's your blood money"

maybe it's just a theory
maybe it's just funny
but brother
with a mother like that
maybe you'd choose
crucifixion too