Taint

(I was working on this earlier in the night. Believe it or not, I was *not* thinking of COVID 19; I was thinking more about moral purity or moral contamination--but then just before posting I read this poem that sovay linked to and thought, heh.)


Taint

dirty hands &
turbulent mind
body & soul
blotched bruised
inflamed infected
counter contra
devious double
greased palms
blind eyes
hangdog hangman

the brightest, purest sword
can’t sever sin from sinner
every chunk of flesh contains the germ

o drowning soul
if...