for Kenneth Copeland
Rope scrapes numb on his rough
hands as he sits on temple stoop
plaiting frayed palm fibers
close, and at the cord’s taper sees
the end of mercy. He hears the pious
clinkthump of coin on coin
on wood and turns taut eyes
to their tables – he knows where
cedar breaks. Jesus stretches the final knot
secure and leans to stand.
Matthew Moniz is a PhD student in poetry at the University of Southern Mississippi. Originally from the DC area, he holds an MFA and MA from McNeese State University and a BA from Notre Dame. Among other journals, Matt’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Crab Orchard Review and Meridian. He has been awarded the SCMLA Poetry Prize and grown in workshops with Tin House and the Community of Writers.