Dark Pit

the staircase went down
into the pit
darkness is a marshmallow
punctured by the small circle
of children like myself
faces upturned
teacher tells us
about the bible
god and the devil
hell and its blackness bleakness darkness
i was always afraid of the dark
i sure didn't want to be in hell
with hounds in spiked collars
teeth bared at me
saliva dripping
i knew i already had jesus in my heart
how many times could you let him in
was it crowded in there
how may jesuses were there
how did i know he'd stay in there
i wanted to be sure
i accepted
stayed behind to disavow hell
yes i wanted to be in heaven
and have jesus in my heart
if there were no dogs there

Diane Driedger
Winnipeg, Manitoba