After “Cain” by Jericho Brown

After “Cain” by Jericho Brown

 Little
Brothers torture most
Of God’s creatures. Small
Men watch them bleed.

**

what would cain have done

if he had been able, no

abel? all along I’ve thought

(been taught) that cain was

wrong.  but what if abel was?

what if cain,

vegetarian,

(he was

conceived in the garden

he was seed released

before the

fall

what if all the creatures talked

to eve’s belly

(adam’s off some-

where

with the sheep)

and made him

believe blood needs

to be kept

and roots are

designed

to be pulled

to be shaken

like hands

look at them

they need

your tongue

like any

lover

needs

your

ton-

gue.

and so: bread.

and so: Meat. 

being equal, cain

watched the scene again

and again,

the ritual flint,

the taut

throat, the blood

stream—and his ears

rang from all that

garden talk.

and all he had was a rock…

and we all know

the rest:

abel was the best

we’re taught that (it doesn’t

have to be true

i will tell you that

for nothing

i’m just

tidying

up

a sloppy record

or if not sloppy

than suggesting

maybe cain believed he

was being a father

coming in to see

his daughter

tortured

and he was

slaying

the

torturer. 

it’s worth

considering

isn’t it?

the virgins—all the virgins—

the best

unblemished up

in smoke.  it’s not

enough, cain’s early grace,

those first roots

pulled.

they begin

to rot

as soon as day

breaks against their skin.

but lamb?

milk still

in her mouth?

and a hungry god?

and a willing very willing

second son of the first

man? tell me, how much blood?

because I’m telling  you

it built the world.

it built the sea,

and it is salt

because

of

it.