July 2015

Daniel Rousseau
dr646158@sju.edu

I live in PA with my wife and Golden Retriever. I am an MA candidate in Writing Studies at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia where I am the Editor-in-Chief of The Avenue: SJU Writing Studies lit mag. My work can be found in The Schuylkill Valley Journal, The Rain, Party, and Disaster Society and others.  

Puppet and Master


Take this rational, ivory sword.
Cut the braided strings
above your taut left arm.
Use this grounded horsehair bow
to play a carnal hymn
on the delicate strands above.

Heaven listens from above.
Cherubs sharpen God's sword,
and crescendo their hymn.
Deliverance tightens loose strings.
The Master breaks your bow,
then grasps your feeble arm.

Bite His hand to free your arm
from the selfish motive above.
Feign a surrender of the bow,
then steal His golden sword.
Slash the proselytized strings
that play a handsome, banal hymn.

A distant, discordant hymn
beckons you to arm
yourself with the grandiose strings
that trickle secrets from above.
Raise His exalted, holy sword,
then take a commanding bow.

He shoots an arrow from His bow.
It dances like a careful hymn,
then deflects off His stolen sword,
and digs into your proud right arm.
See how he smiles from above.
Cry out to the naked and frayed strings.

Pull on heaven’s lowest strings,
and watch dimensions bow,
as wingless angels spill from above.
Hear their common, vile hymn.
They are laughing at your arm.
Use my dogma-carving sword.

Thrust the sword to eternal strings.
Nick God’s arm and steal His bow.
Scale His hymn to the freedom above. 

©2015 Daniel Rousseau