You bathed me
in your holy water
and told me that
I belonged to
you and your faith
forevermore.

So I stole the rosary
you placed around my
neck,
with your scent
buried deeply
in its core.

I tried to pray,
but I could only
think
of the Catholic boys
I�ve loved
and racked with guilt
in my Sunday best,
I ran to your side
to confess,

But you wouldn�t hear
my words of repentance,
your ears fell deaf
to my cries,
but your eyes
fixed with scorn
on the crucifix
you had once lovingly
placed around my
neck.