Sometimes I get sick of ‘Singsongs’,
Of inspirational poetry. I’m glad,
At first, to see others strength,
But, it’s not mine. I once had a
Cockroach lodged in my left ear.

Strength? Phew! I leapt up
Out of bed knowing exactly
What it was! In my left ear! Too
Big to back up, it scrabbled
With insect feet, against my eardrum…

It drove me crazy! I lost it!
Started running round in circles,
House-wise and head-wise! It didn’t
Matter, the scratching movement
Hardly stopped. I wasn’t quite screaming,

But was screamily panicked. We tried peroxide
And rubbing alcohol to help back its way out,
Didn’t work. I could hardly stand still,
The horror overwhelmed me! Finally,
My husband ripped off its butt with a tweezers.

That did it! The insect died
Within my ear canal. Horribly, unspeakably.
Two ER’s later, about eight hours in total,
The pieces of this bug were removed from my
Ear, with the right tool.

My point? I think religions are
A tool, not a cockroach. Or some such is…

Erin Elizabeth Kelly-Moen
© Copyright 5/28/09