Runaway

by Kerry Luo

thunk

goes the body and

crosses rattle off his ears

percussion against polished altar floors

our choir sings remembrance of his best-kept skeletons

of festivities listened to and revered

instead of her.

she weeps next to me in a wounded gown

gasps like she feels relief for the first time

I squeeze her hand

give her grace for refusing to harmonize

here lies our lord and savior

god’s showstopper lost too soon

sculpted and poked and impressed 

into flawless victimhood

I join my hands at the chorus

feel a wrinkled washcloth pushed into my grasp

a bassinet at my feet filled with holy water

memories will flood back 

like soiled water at a fraternity baptism

that I was the one who redacted all sins

sat on the other side of confession

and sang hymns that distracted us from her