this is no longer
a land of hallowed ground.
you have perverted it
into a nation for the pernicious.
i have never yearned for violence,
but i cry out to god for a plague—
anything to rid us
of the hatred that once festered
but has now b r o k e n free of its binds.
faith no longer feels secure,
nor does it bring forth hope
while your power feels like a noose
keeping the people tethered to a dream
that will never manifest.
i take in
the body and the blood,
but innocent blood
is still shed on
holy ground.
you wish to rule the holy lands,
desire to resurrect monuments
in your own honor
like the messiah your congregation
believes you to be.
is this what christ died for?
all empires must crumble,
become rubble,
until there is rebirth from the ashes.
the golden age must always come to an end.
in the end,
will you cry out
to god like lucifer after the fall?
will you burn in the sun’s golden rays
and ask for it
no longer witness your every slight?
at your trial they will ask:
how could god allow this?
at your trial they will ask:
why did we ever believe you to be christ?
and you will say
that you were acting as
one of god’s chosen people
while the women
and children cry:
you have turned us
into bait
for a salivating dog.
tangerine
Isabel Flick is a Mexican-American artist and poet based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Her work has been showcased in many national galleries and publications. She received an Associates of Education from Saint Louis Community College and a Bachelor’s in Studio Art from the University of Missouri – Saint Louis. She has received and been nominated for numerous awards for both her art and poetry, such as a 2025 nomination for a Pushcart Prize.