“Catechism of Decay,” 13/15 from 21st Century Retablo. 11.7″ x 16,” mixed-media on archival paper, 2005-06. Permanent collection, USC Fisher Museum of Art.

POEM:

catechism of decay

we believe in flesh,/
the eater of flesh      we believe in flesh of words in order to resurrect/
flesh     we believe in genuflection of flesh     the fulfillment of both/
flesh and the flesh of flesh     we believe flesh is the hinge of disintegration/
we believe in flesh never-/
lasting      flesh, we believe the flesh of all who die in flesh are flesh beyond death/
we believe the multitude of flesh gathered around flesh see flesh as it is/
and to various degrees associated with the flesh     exorcised by flesh in flesh,/
interceding of flesh and weakness by their flesh/

we believe in flesh,/
the only flesh     eternally be rotten of the flesh, flesh from flesh, true/
flesh from true flesh     besotted, not made, flesh in being with the flesh,/
through flesh all made flesh     for us, flesh      and for our sanitation,/
flesh came down, flesh by the scourge of flesh     flesh was born of the flesh/
and became flesh for our sake     flesh was categorized/
under flesh    uttered, lied, and was buried     on the worst day,/
flesh was dissected     flesh collapsed into flesh/

we believe flesh,/
in the hands of flesh,/
will crumble in judgment of the living/
and the dead     and flesh/
will     end/