the h word in poetry

we go by the holy name, heretic
we go by the holy nane, heathen
we’ve seen no evidence
of a thing like hell or heaven
so we try to make this life
better instead
not in an unprovable after-thing
not as a self-righteous vision
living in our heads

we go by the holy name, heathen
we’d rather do good by the breathing
not invisible monsters
but rather we’re shielded by doubt
while the true believers allow
natural selection to sort us all out
even though they claim
to not believe in evolution
even as they blame
Satan instead of oil companies
for a planet choked by pollution
because if their invisible monsters
has made a heaven for them there
why not ruin the Earth
why even care?
but we go by the holy name, heretic
and we’ll be the gum in their hair