Blue Thing--new poem

Blue thing,

On the mantle,

Holds my change,

Hides my cigarettes,

Ugly blue thing,

Hollow and hallowed and holy,

Everywhere and fixed in time,

Ugly obscure blue thing,

You possess secrets,

Tell me the meaning of life,

Old ugly obscure blue mantlepiece thing,

I light candles in your honor,

Dance about with incense,

Bought from the kiosk on the pier,

As is written in your holy book,

Old ugly obscure blue thing purchased at a flea market,

Keeper of change,

Awkward wine glass when all other dishes are dirty and

Forsaken,

Share your sacred wisdom,

Save my soul,

Oh ugly obscure blue mantelpiece thing, purchased at a flea market,

made by a well meaning but untalented 8 year old ,

Fired in a kiln under adult supervision and given to a grandmother who secretly hated it.

Share your doctrine,

Form my opinions on,

Gun control,

Racial equality,

Sexual tolerance,

Please repress my urges,

Oh you wonderful and hideous blue thing that the previous tenant left behind because you were not useful,

Tell me how to vote,

Dictate which body parts are to be legislated and which are personal,

Tell me who to love,

Who to hate,

What to protest without knowing any of the facts,

I implore you,

Old, ugly, useless, blue thing sitting smugly in judgement on the mantelpiece, fired in the hateful kiln to save me from my own transgressions.

I need You

Please, ugly obscure blue thing

Wash away my sins

So I can blame them all on you.