by Joseph A. Farina

the street evangelist on the corner
with his microphone and mini amp.
preaches out his condemnation
cites as proof the word of God
decrying all our carnel pleasures
giving us all second chances
to glory in a promised rapture
to rise from death free of pain
once more reborn in innocence

he is tormented by unbelievers
drowned out by horns of passing cars
reported to those that serve and protect
a hazard to motorists and pedestrians
still he stands in imperious patience
secure in his higher given grace
offering freely his revealed path to glory 
he is certain we are needing

behind him a few disciples holding signs
quoting the apostles, rest on crutches
look the watchers in their eyes who
turn away too busy or too frightened
of their own infirmities refusing to be lured
suspicious of forgiveness freely given
and by a message of love, that history
savage and barbaric could not whither

Joseph A. Farina is a retired lawyer in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. An award-winning poet, he’s been published in Quills Canadian Poetry Magazine, Ascent, Subterranean Blue, The Tower Poetry Magazine, Inscribed, The Windsor Review, Boxcar Poetry Revue, Agape Review, and appears in the anthologies Sweet Lemons: Writings with a Sicilian Accent, Canadian Italians at Table, Witness and Tamaracks: Canadian Poetry for the 21st Century. His writings have been published in U.S. magazines, including Mobius, Pyramid Arts, Arabesques, Fiele-Festa, Philedelphia Poets and Memoir and in Silver Birch Press Series. He has had two books of poetry published — The Cancer Chronicles and The Ghosts of Water Street .