Sacred cruelty (a poem)

They polish the mirror

They look through themselves
to avoid seeing themselves.

They made God in their image
so their image could become God.

They adore the part of Him
that cannot redden.

They kneel before it
until their knees split
until the blood
until the mirror accepts

an offering. 

an offering.

an offering.

They do not love Him
because He is merciless.
He is merciless
because that is how they love Him.

They come to be seen
by The Man who looks through them.
And leave with blood
warming their teeth
calling the taste courage.

Pure people.
Purifying people.

People who make themselves pure
in whatever the world

can be made to bleed.