there is good reason to cheer
for the boys are free to go
released from recent obligations
that left them silenced
neither church nor state
had the power to hold them
(or so the story goes)
back on their horses the boys
bolted out of town
firing blanks at the moon
and rehearsing gospel music
hellbent on delivering the good news
wherever there is none
december two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
the sixth trumpet soundeth no more
and the clouds
enclosed within the outer dome
rolled in a deathly lull before the storm
like lightning an angel as large as
a million men
stepped through the barrier clouds
left foot landing on soil the other on sea
raising his hands up towards the darkness
the final judgments
unfolded by way of seven peals of thunder
transcribing the terror soon to take place
the lord commanded me to sit back
my pen and paper
grounded as the giant angel called forth
the presence of the seventh trumpeter
as the carnage of his enemies ensued
I was ordered
to take the scroll from the giant angel
and ingest what seemed to be a tasty treat
forced to witness warfare never before
seen on this earth
the scroll in my belly turned pungent as the
nonbelievers struggled to survive this world
november two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I turned the other cheek
just as I had been taught
and a flat hand raced by
leaving imprints even time
could not erase
I loved my neighbor
just as I had loved myself
but I was arrested and
sentenced to the pit without
due course
I had forgiven your sins
but was charged with blasphemy
cursed and kicked and spat on
accused of pretending
to be perfect
november two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
birds of all nations storm
war-torn suburbia
switchblades and derringers
concealed under wing
blanketing rooftops and lining live wires
waiting patiently for night to fall
predawn fog smothers the moon
and silences the stars
cloaking angels of mercy
and their effortless wings
zeroing in on and sweeping away
newly orphaned refugees
november two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
hurtling through space indefinitely
it was only a matter of time
before wormwood
reached the outer edges
exploding into a colorfully
destructive rainshower
up above trumpets sounded
and incense burned
angels huddled together
compacting balls of fire
and hurling them onto earth
though many on the surface
perished from such punishment
it was wormwood
that single-handedly wiped out
a third of all living things
both on land
and on sea
and below the sea
and though dust consumed
a third of the sun’s light
supersonic blasts
broke through the haze
telegraphing without question
the worst was yet to come
october two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
the world paused in shock and awe
before assessing the worldwide
infrastructural and
virtual damages from the initial
mind-blowing strikes
communication channels changed
word of mouth traveled at slower speeds
while new intermediaries
were reintroduced into the mad scene
one hundred forty-four thousand in total
the twelve tribes reconvened
ventured out twelve thousand strong each
sent to evangelize the
four corners of the world
using every language in every nation
while the living continued making reparations
the millions of non-believers
(those who had turned into believers but did
not survive the rapture)
stood before the throne
dressed in white and waving palms branches
worshipping and singing praises
ever thankful never to hunger or thirst again
back on earth millions upon millions
were welcomed into the fold
their totals exceeding the sum of
all previous human history
hopeful but uncertain and
unknowing the middle ground
would completely disappear
ushering in the next era
the most perilous times ever
october two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
by john of patmos
from the book of revelation
visions of judgments enter my waking
dreams as seven cryptic messages
appear before my eyes
one by one they reveal abstract images
representing future events
first seal reveals an imposter
unjustly crowned
his hand sweeping change upon the land
his false hopes hidden behind a
white horse winning hearts and minds via
strategically placed holograms
second and third seals let loose
the red horse
aka the war-horse turning
farmlands into graveyards and
nations into ashes
at his heels
lo the black horse
perpetrating wickedness upon the poor
fourth seal unleashes escalating death
paraded methodically by the pale horse
wielding hammer and sickle and
raping the land
systematically burying
one-quarter of every living thing
entering the point of no return
the fifth seal tallies the
price paid by murderous men
killing blindly at any cost
their victims transformed into martyrs
and worshipped by the chosen
few who are reeling and
determined to regroup
bewildered and lamenting
all dressed in white robes
by the time the sixth seal breaks opens
the entire earth shakes
and once dormant volcanos
blacken the sun and redden the moon
and all the leaders of the world
and all the wealthy
and all the faithless
and all those with any means necessary
fearfully evacuate themselves into
deep underground sanctuaries
september two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
I heard Him preaching on the radio
streaming from station to station
delivering dire consequences to the
seven churches of the day
straying in their ways by concerning
themselves more with their own
hierarchy and corporate governance than
adhering to their original mission of
loving and serving the Trinity
But to those individuals overcoming their
faults through repentance and devotion
I heard him on the radio promising
manna from the tree of life
crowns and white garments to wear
powers to conquer all nations
pillars made in their name in the temple
and offering them the golden opportunity
to sit alongside the ultimate King
/span>
september two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
the door in the sky took me by surprise
and at once I wanted to walk through
but gravity overruled my ambitions
though chaos rang through the land
I clearly heard His voice
calling me by reaching out
grabbing the neck of my shirt
and flinging me
effortlessly through space and time
bedazzled before the throne
I was certain I had reached the omega
snatched out of the first century
and inserted into the last
in my attempt to comprehend these
events I recalled His promise
to the church at philadelphia
death will be swallowed up in victory
I stood among millions singing
never-before-heard psalms
and like everyone else
I lifted my crown from atop my head
august two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
Alone on this prisoner island
the Aegean Sea surrounds me
Pen in hand I sketch images
I could not have fathomed without
divine intervention
delivering unto this world
a final gospel not even the
Authorities can contain
Back in the day we walked as
brothers from sea to mountain
countryside to village to city
healing the sick and raising the dead
like nobody had ever seen
But now all has changed
and I am not worthy to look
Him in the eye
and I find myself falling to my knees
beginning to absorb everything
He has in store
Once settling down I come
to terms with my mission:
sending the seven congregations
a three-part transcript describing
His time on earth
what has transpired since
and how His triumphant return will
supersede the Age of the Church
august two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
from the book of revelation
the boss
held his possessions closely
encrypted them within seven seals
the pain he must feel
becomes real tears streaming
live down so many faces
pelted with insults his child
refuses to die
reaches out to a world
programmed to never understand
their own ransom
new generations give forth
a sense of promise
offering peace on earth (for the)
next thousand years
newly created criminals
and their invisible entourage
emerge as expected
floating like butterflies and
stinging like bees
august two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
This strange new world has me abounded by fear
not sure where I stand
unsure when I may fall
The aggression builds boundlessly
until the anger lets loose
And when it’s over
when I reflect on the action
when I’m all alone in my own little world
I weep
yes I weep like an angel
Since when do actions speak more loudly than words?
I say Jesus’ acts were more powerful than his gospel
(I keep him in my pocket, like a slug)
And when I’m sure that I can’t stand
on my own two feet
I reach for him
and weep
yes I weep like an angel
Try to believe you’re no different
than you were at the age of three
and you’re fooling yourself
Try to believe you’ve never pulled the trigger
and you’re fooling yourself
White concrete and silver steel
have never had the same meaning
as they do now
originally penned nineteen ninety-six
audio recorded june two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
he sailed to philadelphia in a dream
sent by angels to rediscover a land
known for its doves and roses
he surveyed the streets on sandaled feet
breathing in air and admiring the people
who were nearly like him
who were down-to-earth
and homeless
everyone who witnessed the scars of
his past tattooed on his arms
and feet and sides
welcomed him with open smiles
begging him to break bread with them
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
if I was any more aware I’d be dead
she said
lying face down
the anguish in her voice the result of my will
digging deeper into her quads
what’s that supposed to mean
I said
switching things up by slowly
massaging her thigh
locating more tissue
untouched in so many years
oh shit
she said
I felt that
oh god that feels so good
that part about the dead
I asked
what’s that all about
some sort of enlightenment
oh yes
she said
that’s exactly what it is
and if you just shut up
you just might get me there
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I returned to earth as an underfed
infant in a remote village
where nurses are plenty
and painted-face doctors
routinely perform miracles
Years later my dying mother
begged me in a language
I barely understood
to escape the poverty this
barren land provided and
seek refuge in the golden city
As I traveled by foot from
desert town to desert town
visions of previous lives
entered my waking dreams
detailing how I had traveled
this road centuries ago
comforting all who hungered
by first feeding their minds
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
they fell from the sky
these transparent wings of mine
tattered and torn
and superfluously useful
night and day I stitched away
new leather onto old
rubbing and shining and redefining
a finer shade of gold
I hung them all alone inside
an unlit closet
wherein they stretched and glowed
and quietly repaired
imperfections I could not mend
january two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
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