returnee: commandments 6 and 3

by The Poet Spiel

in reverse
of the sacred commandment
first taken to his heart
down on his knees
he killed for you
on commands
drilled deep
in the immediacy
of fear and steel
and fire


then he came back home
and robbed you
of what he thought
he’d fought for
when he found himself
confused
and cleansed your colon
with his 9 mm glock

so he returned to his knees
like when he was a child
to humbly wash your feet
of what he’d done
but recognized he’d finalized
his shames
when he exclaimed
his first lord’s name
in vain