Negative Capability in El Salvador
This morning the wolf did not want to get out of bed.
The moon ate the sun yesterday and we are all so very tired.
I cut my finger carving an angel and printed the moon’s face with my blood.
This is not a Bible passage.
I keep looking for ways to speak directly to God because Jesus, El Salvador del Mundo, keeps reminding me I have a body and that it is ephemeral.
When the day turned to darkness and the stars came out, dogs howled, and we thought we would die.
But now we think we know better.
The stars came out; dogs howled for ways to speak directly to me.
This morning I have a body and the wolf does not.
The Apophatic states the best way to speak to God is to make negative claims.
Such as God is not evil.
We can only say what God is not.
In a Bible passage, I keep carving an angel to see if it is ephemeral.
It is ephemeral.
We thought we would die.
Now we think we know better.
Day turned to darkness and with it, the want to get out of bed.
Yesterday we were all so very tired.
I cut my finger.
My blood.
So very tired.
Jesus just keeps reminding me: Your blood is not God.
Notes:
This poem is part of the portfolio “The Chorus These Poets Create: Twenty Years of Letras Latinas.” You can read the rest of the portfolio in the December 2024 issue.
Source: Poetry (December 2024)