Idaho, Connecticut

For 70 hours I wept
Then I went out on the streets

And I fired
And I fired
Till you all
Had reached Heaven

But it didn’t hurt you
Nor did it hurt me
Not a single tear
Was shed for you

Only the apple blossoms dropped
Into the mud
Only your bodies hitched a ride
To the asphalt

I did not weep
I fired
And in spirit I recited
A prayer for your dead souls

Souls of executives secretaries
Teachers lawyers a senator
A car mechanic farmers postmen
Students streetwalkers hostesses
Sons and daughters
Brothers and sisters
Fathers and mothers

I fired
And I smiled
Tears long dried
By your pain
Pain long redeemed
By your blood

I did not weep
In my hand the thirty eight trembled
In my breast the heart bathed in blood
Bodies fell
Limbs flew
Hands were raised and fell
Faces were torn to pieces
Beautiful beautiful morning that was

I stood in the middle of the square
And fired
And fired
Then I stepped out on the streets

You fled before me
In reverence gazed
At my body bathed in blood
And face and eyes
At my lips

I fired
I fired
At old men and women
At children and their mothers
At tramps and businessmen
Everyone has a right to reach Heaven

Shot and scream re-echoed on the street
Wailing of wounded
Silence of the dead

You too glamour girl in the pink costume
You too fellow in livery
I shall send you too straight to Heaven
To the just and the redeemed

I fired
I fired
For 70 minutes I fired
Horns hooted
Sirens wailed
I fired like my senses were lost
Like one who’d gone deranged
And I fired
Like one who’d found love
Like one whom God appointed
To perform justice and mercy
In this world, Idaho, Connecticut

I fired
Oh Lord I fired
To the right knee
And the left shoulder
To the head
And the eye
Right into the mouth
And the throat
To the breasts
And the belly
Everywhere
Everywhere a place was found
For God’s bullets
Everywhere a place was found
For God’s love

I fired
And paced the streets
Redeemer
Saviour
Jesus Christ from Idaho, from Connecticut
Son of God
Messenger of truth and love
Your brother in arms and in faith

Horns hooted
Sirens howled
When I took it
To the right shoulder
And the left knee
And the belly
And the chest
Everywhere
Everywhere a place was found
For God’s bullets
For God’s love
For the pain of Christ on the Cross
Christ on the street, Idaho, Connecticut

And I fired
And I fired
Fell to earth
And fired
And that was love
Love it was
No one shed a tear for me
No one came and caressed my face
Christ, Christ Lord, Idaho, Connecticut

I lay in a puddle of blood
In a puddle of mud like an apple blossom
Like the son of God
God’s warrior
The saviour

Horns hooted
Streets wailed
It was pain
That I brought you
Brothers and sisters
I lay in a puddle of blood
And someone kicked me
And someone kicked me
And then again

You are kicking a corpse
I whispered
And my soul
My soul
Mounted straight up
Straight to the Heavens
Straight to the Heavenly Gates
Where awaiting me
Where you were awaiting me
Brothers and sisters, Idaho, Connecticut

For 70 seconds I died
Then I stepped out on the streets

And I wept
And I wept
Till you all
Had reached Heaven