Witches Mag, Issue #5: Time

NO GODS / FORGIVE US OUR SINS

By Stephanie Meuse Between 11 and 22 maybe, I slowly shed god At 10, he was everywhere, I was Reading my Precious Moments Bible On the stairs of our childhood houses Splitting Triscuits for Eucharists And feeding them to my baby sister Running my fingers over plastic rosaries Dutifully reciting acts of contrition— Confessing and repenting for all my 10-year-old sins I didn’t listen or clean my room, and stole lost things from under the beds of my friends I was wrong, but I was sorry, and I was better Between 11 and 13 it was Playing my own gods Having my own rituals, naming my own penance Nail polish crosses on my belly button Church hymns on my Casio keyboard Potions, spells, any / everything Slowly retributing my childish crimes Slowly wading through my childhood crimes (shedding my childhood, what a crime) Going to church because that’s where the boys were 79