Vacancies (Poetry)

Where are they now —
the holy men who dreamt
of flying among the clouds
and touching God’s bright face
in the last sunset?

Where are the temple virgins
who imagined their pure flesh
would catch on fire
if some bold man dared brush
against their skin?

Where have all the heroes gone —
the brave defenders of the weak
the lionhearts born strong and true
whose cause was clear and just
and answered swift whenever they
were called?

Absent. — In retreat or lost
those vacancies so long unfilled
the edges blur and heal across
and hide the lack of simple faith
denying anything but here and now

Thus no saints among the sinners walk
no angels hover by the sickbed door
and the few who still might
wonder what life’s for
trawl the virtual highways seeking
Hope’s elusive myth —
the Godmade miracle