Cradle Catholic

Dan Carpenter

It’s as if God

were the judge who could have locked you up

and the priest, your P.O.

and Sunday, your check-in

hear the pep talks

heed the warnings

raise a cup to courage

and good decisions

confess to little fuck-ups

and major misdemeanors

render thanks and praise

for forgiveness and freedom

for another week

unto temptation

may His Honor please

Dan Carpenter has published poetry and fiction in Illuminations, Pearl, Poetry East, Southern Indiana Review, Maize and other journals. A collection of his poems, More Than I Could See, is forthcoming from Restoration Press. He lives in Indianapolis and is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star.

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