Celebrating Lesbian Ministers

raked the dead
leaves and stacked
fallen twigs for a balefire,

fixed the shutters,
caulked the window panes,
and stored the secret in the deacon's bench,

water rusty, she pumped
the hand pump in the sink,
said the secret to the oversized pipe wrench,

put fresh candles in the wall sconces,
anointed the door knobs with Rose of Sharon,
filled the brass compote with apples and chilled the wines,

they wanted her to occupy the manse,
keep it tended and maintain its paid lease,
groom the arbors entwined with century-old grape vines,

(CONTINUED)
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