April 10th

“’Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’" 1 Corinthians 15:55

before
taking your child
by the hand so
you could skip together
into Eden’s new garden,
you turned to that
basilisk curled up
and keeping
is eye on you, and
taking it by
the scruff of the neck,
you drained its venom,
yanked its fangs and
tossed it back into the corner,
where it rests to this day,
toothless
useless
impotent.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman