by Addison C., 16
Once upon a time there was a girl
Who wrote poems about God because she feared Him.
She thought that if she could pacify His rage
He may one day look down and see her.
And so God became her father.
But her father was an addict
Addicted to anger and to consequence
As if they were some sort of drug.
And so the girl became addicted as well
To anger and to consequence
Because if they eased her father’s pain
Then maybe they would soothe her too.
And so God became her mother
Whose tears streaked her face after every fight
And held her daughter after she pushed her away.
And her mother made music from the pain she was in
And became an addict, too
Because she thought that if she tried a sip
Of anger and of consequence
She would understand her daughter better.
And so God became her boyfriend
Who wasn’t quite addicted
To anger and to consequence
But teetered on the edge of such things
Like a ticking time bomb.
He kicked and punched the air
With all the rage that he held
And his fury at the world.
Became his addiction too.
And so God became her daughter
Who was not yet an addict
And the girl, who was now a woman
Held her anger hostage
When she held her daughter.
And so God became the poems
That her daughter wrote
Because she was not yet an addict
To anger and to consequence
But she was addicted to God
Who was an addict Himself.
Jasper, Georgia
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