heaven’s net

When you've killed off all your unbelievers and all tongues and jaws wag 'rightly'' 
what world will you have wrought?
a heaven stacked of bodied bricks? 
temples of rank offering
fearful compliance 
sans love, sans reliance
souls racked and taut
not surrendered, not faithfully purchased

But you'll do it—make hell
for lack of facing despair 
cast a dream o'er the whole world 
and choke on perfected netting

And we'll believe it with all impunity, religiously weave it each day 
with bright eyes and squinting half-belief and eyebrows raised as if, running off our stapled foreheads, our kin unto dumb death will rest in their sturdier hearts our infinite doubt in these gross methods. Yes, what a hell we've woven 'round heaven.