31. and how we slowly began to look like her

by rob mclennan

fr linda rogers

    in the southern states,
the mirror'd hull
of a government box
discolours in the form
of the virgin mary,
arcs
of oil & water
nearly three storeys tall
    
hundreds of believers appear
to pay homage,
pray
    as psychic hotlines go under
    in quebec & elsewhere
when no one saw it coming
the incredible jojo savard
    
who says religion 
    is a fading negative,
different articles of belief
    moving tenuous into the future, imperfect
& unknown
& the desperation to find something
to hold on to
images of worry beads & other artifacts
    so it must be true

ROB MCLENNAN IS THE 1999 WINNER OF THE AIR CANADA AWARD FOR PROMISING WRITER UNDER 30, ADMINISTERED BY THE CANADIAN AUTHORS ASSOCIATION. HE IS THE EDITOR OF STANZAS MAGAZINE AND THE PUBLISHER OF ABOVE/GROUND PRESS. HE LIVES AND WRITES IN OTTAWA, ONTARIO.

THIS WORK IS COPYRIGHT OF THE AUTHOR.

THE DANFORTH REVIEW IS EDITED BY MICHAEL BRYSON.