The animal we fear most is God

We mimic beasts 
behind a stick-teething fire 
 
behind the unsubtle glow-snap 
of lightning pitched  
 
overhead   
 
the moon fanglike 
in a mouth 
hinged with shadows 
 
swallows everything 
as we cry out 
 
give back our stars, 
our brave morning light  
 
not tonight he says
 
again & again he 
takes until a savage 
backlash ensues 
 
ensures our mutual 
distrust for one another 
 
ashamed we piece together 
temples from bloody stones 
 
surround ourselves 
 
with veiled sanctities 
all so no one will see us 
praying in the dark 

John Roth is a native Ohioan who haunts his parent's basement.  His poems have appeared in Red Fez, Red River Review, and The Red Booth Review.  He likes the color red; scandalous red.