POETRY OF THE ORIENTAL TRADING COMPANY

Jesus Has a Pizza My Heart Notepads - $7.19

I get the pun, but
aren’t we meant to give
the whole pie? There is reservation
here, restraint — suitable
for a Nicodemus type who
comes to Jesus under the cover
of night. There is, also,
a realism here. There are others
we give pizza cutters, letting
their opinions and their words
roll over and over us until,
finally, they’ve broken
off a piece. Even the Peters
of the world sometimes deny him.
So maybe Jesus only has a pizza
my heart. If I can’t give all
of it, let my offering still
be fresh and flaming, enough
to burn a lesser tongue.

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Fantastic Faith Tattoos - $2.57

72 temporary tattoos, including images of Moses, Joshua, David, Deborah, Esther, and Joseph as well as the words Trust, Believe, Pray!, Obey!, Strength, and Power!

So many of my friends have real tattoos
that it makes me think about getting one
and whether there’s anything I care about
enough to keep it on my body forever.

My imaginings tend toward faith
laced with the gruesome. Mostly,
I consider a tent peg as a symbol
of Jael, who drove one through
an enemy’s head in the book
of Judges. She, in her
glory, pierced me as well — 
drove through my conception
that being a woman of God was just
one gentle thing.

It wasn’t only her, of course,
but it is more poetic that way:
to say that Jael was the one
who shattered my head open
so new ideas might fill
the fissures.

Now that I have stitched them
into place, I know it’s a fantastic faith.

Maybe I would have known sooner
if at seven I’d been sticking woman
warrior Deborah to my skin
or Esther, a savior of her people,
and maybe if they had been visible
next to a tattoo saying “Obey!,”
they would’ve rewritten every sense
of obedience towards the voices
saying to speak and to stand.
Maybe I would’ve rejoiced
pressing “Power!”to my cheek.