the heart of an angel
a poem
Content warnings: murder, cannibalism
space in Heaven is limited
these days
no more will a good word or good deed
be sufficient to gain access
to glory
consider this:
so full is Heaven of angels and
death
that your must prove your worth
so set your candle alight
dear warrior
the one that shows the saints
and the martyrs
watch the flames flicker
behind Mary’s eyes and
pray
pray
not just for you but for
an angel
to appear to you
to bless you
with the promise of
a worthy opponent
how do you fend off an angel?
it is not so difficult
(if you know what you’re doing)
because the angels too are
wanting
bereft of love
no longer wanted
in their own Heaven
the angel will walk willingly
into your arms
you should embrace it tenderly
tell it that
now it can rest
betray the angel with a
kiss
and a promise
of no more fighting
and a blade slid
between the ribs
like Christ’s own wounds
(i promise
the irony will not escape it)
taste its dying breath
on your lips
on its lips
its own form of divinity
the angel will thank you
not in words
but with a blessing
that when you cut out its heart and
consume it
(the angel, the heart)
you will be bless’d at last
with the power of angels
and access to Heaven
God will welcome you
(or whatever is left of Him
to whatever is left of Heaven)
and so too will the angels
old and new
though not without rightful and righteous
suspicion
for you will never truly be
one of them
only a traitor
just like the first
but never the last
(and they don’t recognize themselves
these days)
having proved yourself ruthless enough
for God’s army
a match for all the cruelty of all the angels
your place in Heaven is secure
at least until
(after a hundred years or more)
you hear a prayer
and a whisper that sounds like
what was once your name
Tyler Battaglia is a queer and disabled author of horror, dark fantasy, and other speculative fiction. He is especially interested in subjects that interrogate the connections between faith, monsters, love, queerness, and disability. You can find him on social media at @whosthistyler and online at https://www.tylerbattaglia.com, including a full list of publications.
