Heavens part
form a halo around
the head of a saint
with the face
of an accountant
who rides the CTA

mouth parted ready
to talk around
the water cooler

can’t

those pesky pagan Romans
ripped out
his tongue
after an unsuccessful
attempt to
set him
on fire

St.Romanus the Chicago CPA
dangles his tongue in
his right hand
like a carrot
to a donkey
to his youthful, faithful,
comedic sidekick
(who was added
due to low
Nelson ratings)

as something
to aspire to like
his bad case of
Morton’s toe
slit throat and
tiny graffiti halo
were not enough

St.Rom
as his friends call him
finally dispatched by
strangulation
died for his cause
lord forbid he would live for it

Lucky bastard
tortured to death
for the people of Antioch
who have no idea
who the hell he is

stands silent
in Chicago waiting
for the bus
with nothing to say

Poem Copyright © Kate Kreke