"sixteen, last beaten" timothy r gates, 1/31/2013

sixteen, last time beaten
hands grasping the bottom
of the chair's legs,
daddy's belt,
not one neighbor came
not one called for help
not one believer did more than pray,
called "discipline" in those days -
like Luther's worm theology,
"we only deserve death and hell,"
bullshit to justify psychopaths.
"Everything happens for a reason"
"God has a plan for your life"
"Everything works together for good..."
yes, theocentric egoism.
people think I say what I think.
one friend observed,
"he says about 10%, at best."
no one is beaten near me
no one yells for undeserved mercy
no one needs pray for fairness
My sixteen year old
only sits on chairs
only uses a belt to hold up pants
has no need of discipline's tools.
And the void said,
"Let there be light,"
first came an overcast
then a shadow.
Light.