Blue blood

She had, surprisingly, not

the perfect flaw

of a few fine lines –

a hairline crack

in Delftware –

but that more pronounced blemish,

a varicose vein.

Or, as one once put it,

a very-close vein,

very close to you and me.

I saw God

Well, no, a man

at church.

He held his baby boy

close to his chest,

and his daughter followed.

Oh that baby, I know,

he’ll light up and

strike out,

and dad’ll be pissed,

and when the sword is slashing

there’s cutting all around.

But through it all

there’s this:

the embrace,

and the watching eye

of the girl.