Small dubious antiquities 

I.

A man found some gold
& left a noose in its place.

The owner of the gold,
finding his treasure gone,
donned the noose
& went searching
for a tall, sturdy branch.

Somewhere in the distance
the sound of laughter
was a warm spiritual joke,
winning in its morality. 

II. 

The more they keep crucifying me at work
she said to no one in particular at the dinner party
the more I’ve been thinking about this little cut on my finger.
Tiny, incessant.