by Jonel Abellanosa

Stone

Church of the cockcrow
that dungeons my addictions
underneath its grounds

for turning me
into a pilgrim of my penance.
No sidewalk vendor dances 

with three held candles,
waved offering to the god-
child - desire, obsession, 

slavery
to the flesh. Nor host
to touch my tongue. 

No “this is his blood
given for your remission.”
No “this is his body

that you may enter
the house when the host
calls, Lazarus, come home.”

I’ve to walk
all the way through
on my own.

Tombstone

Lazarus,
herein lies 
the truth you shall see to believe

Blues Street Ode to Jesus

Ah, this dawn of the fragrant air, this
Beet root, that birded tree. It spells true
Cockcrow cracking the ground, seed 
Dropping its coat into sprout. Let me
Echo your new life, Beloved, let me
Feast with your tongue and eyes, Savior.
Gasoline is your love, City on seven
Hills with golden light, stream the steam
In. Strum me the six-stringed flow,
Just brother, just show. Let us we be
Kinetic, jig to your blue jazz, joyous.
Let us honk and horn the good gospel.
Motion rotates, toot toot, round and round
Numerous feet that join, hips asway
On and on. Let homeless masses join,
Push and pull the gentle hand, turn
Quick, turn nimble, turn merry, go round,
Round, clap. Clap, bebop, doo-wop our
Salvation. This is the new sadness - when
Turbine love unturns, when we still back
Under. But tomorrow, we hum tomorrow,
Visit, vista, vision the dream. No more tears
When the day before the day before the day
Exits, let us rejoice and be glad in it.   
Yearn, for we shall remember this 
Zest, with another future, this zeal 

---

Jonel Abellanosa is a Cebuano, residing in Cebu City, the Philippines. He is a nature lover and an advocate for the environment, ecological balance and animal rights and comforts. He has three companion dogs – Donna, Yves and their lovechild, Daisy. His works have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Dwarf Stars and Best of the Net Awards. His poetry and fiction have appeared in hundreds of magazines and anthologies, including Windhover, The Cape Rock, Otoliths, Muddy River Poetry Review, Chiron Review, Invisible City, The Lyric, The McNeese Review, and The Anglican Theological Review. His poetry collections include, “Songs from My Mind’s Tree” and “Multiverse” (Clare Songbirds Publishing House, New York), “50 Acrostic Poems,” (Cyberwit, India), “In the Donald’s Time” (Poetic Justice Books and Art, Florida), and “Pan’s Saxophone” (Weasel Press, Texas).