Sweet Potato Haircut

The man standing on the corner,

advertising his Jesus on a poster board

with small black letters

proclaiming, proclaiming, the love

of God but

damn do I get the creeps

when he looks at me.

I pedal past the shooting range

where the shots always 

make me gasp with fear

death is always nearer than 

I think. I wonder

who gave that man a gun

and if they might recall it?

Because I’d sure hate to be shot 

on such

a wonderful day…

I don’t know how to pray

so I turn my face to the sky

and breathe deep,

sunlight, carry me.