damn she's good

Let us start with the stable
Let it be a real stable, and let Mary be angry
at the filth of it, at dust sifting from the rafters.
Let her grow resigned as the cracks of light are grouted by night,
let her grow out of mind
as the invisible fist grabs guts
and twists,
then twists harder,
let her grow scared. Let her try to remember
wading in the sea with her girlfriends, the coarse hem of her skirt in her hands,
The algae fingering her ankles.
Let her try, but let her fail. Let the fist
drag her under, under and under,
let her breath tear ragged as hot bread.
Let sweat ride the dark hairs above her lip.
Are you picturing her naked? Let her be naked.
Let us write in the animals, but not kneeling, and if they roll their great eyes skyward
let it not be like saints in paintings
but like bored executives rising in elevators.
Yes, let the animals itch,
let them switch their tails,
let the puckered stars of their assholes flex and soft wads of shit fall to the hay.
Let Mary's purse of a stomach wrench itself inside out,
let the donkey sniff her vomit, bare yellow teeth, and turn away.
Let there be flies,
flies in the mucousy eyes of cows,
flies skimming her slick of blood, its tributaries
with rafts of dirty hay.
Let Joseph work in his hand to feel the slick rind of the child's skull,
then wipe his bloody fingers on her thigh.
Let her squeeze his other hand harder than she needs to.
Let her wonder who is screaming,
let her wonder if she's dying,
let her take the name
of her own sweet son
in vain.
-Beth Ann Fennelly

We elevate humans to icons and then forget their humanity. Isn't Mary's story all the better and more rewarding if there was a struggle. Not being Catholic, or even Christian, the story always reeked to me of falsity. Namely because Mary was this serene, gentle figure in the face of her ordeal. It rings much more sincere this way - young, scared, angry, tired, hurting, and concerned with getting through each moment.

I have just finished slipping through (at least that is how effortless it felt) two wonderful collections by Beth Ann Fennelly Tender Hooks and Open House. I am in love with her voice. She is Sylvia Plath, Shirley Manson, Sarah Kane, David Mamet, Dario Fo, and Virginia Wolf rolled together. But she is herself, she is unique. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend her poetry.