Religious Tradition

THE THIRD POEM IN THE ADAMS SERIES

You’re like a religious tradition I was dying to keep 

But time moves and doctrines change 

This communion means nothing anymore 

And no amount of holy water can baptize us back to what we were 

Skeletons of ships are scattered around the ocean floor

Black chimney smoke lines the skies and I—

Wonder what could have happened if you didn’t walk out the door 

All those years ago

Would I still have moved across the world?

Would I be kneeling on the same church pews that claim to save souls? 

The same way, this time, you promise not to go

Abandoned airplanes rarely fly again

Fog causes wrecks when drivers aren’t careful and I—

Think you are trying too hard to make an engine start

When we both know 

We’ve lost the right parts

Kiss me now but check to see whose around 

I dont want to be a secret but 

I dont want to be found 

Profess your love by drinking the wine

Take it like a liquor shot

We’re like a religious tradition priests try too hard to preserve

the taste of tequila is what we deserve 

I used to wonder if we found our way back to one another 

I could restart the life I wanted at 18 

Turn back time and ease the pain 

But doctrines change 

You call and say, 

“I kept hoping you were going to tell me you where going to stay”

Skeletons of ruined ships line the ocean floor and I—

I swim for shore 

Get up from the church pews and walk out the door

Abandon the engine and try no more

Doctrines change and 

Years of silence change peoples minds 

But I’ll never forget 

Those weeks of 

“Show me yours and I’ll show you mine”

Shoot tequila because we don’t deserve wine

Then

Walk out the door

I know you know how

“Why didn’t we love each other when we were young?”

you ask—

“Because we’re not even meant to love each other now”