livestream from Christchurch

To get us to swallow shit

directly from

a rectal catheter

for seventeen minutes straight

they spread the livestream hate

where and when and how

and how fast they could

desecrate and defecate—

some scrambled,

scared shitless

to erase the trace

of their multiplied megab(i)tes.

Like the feeding

of the five thousand,

the more violence we ate

the more violence we created,

the making of our very own dark arts,

the anti-miracle of the internet,

our self-absorbed web.

Let us pray for an alternate reality

in this alternate reality,

true freedom

of the press-of-love,

embrace over disgrace.

Christchurch,

we weep for you

and pray for

the gap that has widened

between the pathos of Christ

and the apathy of the church.

Christ of mercy,

bind our wounds,

fill the bullet holes

in our bloodstreams;

keep us from cleaving each other

by gender, creed and race;

wrest from us our weapons

that we may come together

to render good deeds of grace.

…………………….

livestream from Christchurch

by troy cady

for 49 fallen, precious souls

*Note by the author: I do not advocate the use of profanity, but the atrocities that occurred in Christchurch on 3-15-19 are deeply profane. I used profanity in this piece to convey this sense. I hope those who may take issue with my speech will extend grace in this instance. Thank you.