Nicelle Davis - Becoming Judas (with "Angel of Rock" by Cheryl Gross)





























1.       

In loose robes of apple skins—
a sight path reaches towards
sternum as you collect silver.
Caiaphas’ eyes run over your
adrenaline. You’ve got to get
out of there. You have a plan.
A way to keep the man-Jesus 

          alive
                   a little longer.

2.

You beg at his hem—bringing him
baskets of lavender & a blind girl
who births a child from her mouth
when describing color. 

          There is something worth
                   keeping in this,

3.

To Jesus who marks the end—
reconciling all to the One, you say, 

          Will I know you in heaven?

Your heads touching as you lay in the grass
watching stars being devoured by clouds.
He laughs 

          What use is there in knowing me
                             if you are me, Judas?

4.

You hate this answer.

5.

I hate this answer.

6.

          We simultaneously turn

7.

in our beds—away from salvation. Facing
white walls. Eventually I get up. Drink
coffee. Start writing again. Tattling again.

          can you believe he was wearing that?
          Red rope of apple peels.

8.

My poems are for those who’d rather eat
their ears than hear the sound of my voice. 

          Dear Other,
          Do you know why I left?

I wasn’t ready to be swallowed
          by the fire of another.

9. 

          Don’t go crazy on me now
Jesus says as you choke—sobbing,
          but I love you, I love….

ripping wings off of bees to prepare
a gift—handfuls of weightless silver.

          We can get out of here Jesus,
          you and me. Go someplace tropical.

10.

I wipe steam off a mirror after a hot shower.
Face solemn from lack of sleep—a reflection
of Judas—dark opposite to the light we worship.
I refasten the silver-cord to my neck.
We ask, 

          How can I love you, the way that I do—
          without having myself to loath?






Click here to listen to Nicelle Davis reading "Becoming Judas"






Originally from Salt Lake City, UT, Nicelle Davis now resides in Lancaster, CA with her son J.J. Her book, Circe, is available from Lowbrow Press. Her third collection is scheduled to be released from Rose Metal Press in 2014. She runs a free online poetry workshop at The Bees’ Knees Blog and is an assistant poetry editor for Connotation Press.
(Author photo courtesy of Dennis Mecham)