PLAYING GOD

Best to paint a better picture

without the grizzly details,

without the place the rifle takes

the task at hand—I know the way

and how to get back

digging a hole in hard ground.

I can’t replay all the faces

in my crosshairs, but

a compassionate man checks out

to play God

deaf to sentiment and fear

long enough to not like it—

better to have cattle trailing

the feed truck

to wherever it goes.