Father Nevil ensconced
inside the confessional
his face turned to
the low atonic mumble
of Miss Greenberry
something to do with
an uncharitable remark she passed
about her brother’s dentures
she always looks short-changed
when he dispenses
the customary four Hail Marys
Father Nevil senses
she would only be truly satisfied
by his decreeing
that her trespasses were so iniquitous
that they required to be washed away
by his personally
applying a birch vigorously to her
pale spinster’s buttocks
though that’s a procedure
which in his opinion
really ought to be reserved
for young Delia Knowlton
with her matter-of-fact recitals
of liberties awarded behind the school Gymnasium
to febrile young bucks
galvanised by her gravity-defying breasts
and nun-defying hemlines
Remember my child
failure to disclose
all of your wrongdoing 
itself counts as a grave
sin of omission
he can see her russety wavelets
through his grille
and her smudgy red lips
voicing her routine of repentance
and a glint of nylon
as she shifts those languorous limbs
before flouncing off
content with trading
a decade of the rosary
for another month’s licentiousness
the encounter lingering
like a cheap perfume
right until Mrs. Pargeter having
placed Wednesday’s ineluctable
serving of haddock and chips
before him departs
her goodnights barely audible
above the chatter of the television.

Much enjoyed throughout, except for that cliched first stanza about the priest and his carnal desires. These come into the poem anyway, which is fine, and I feel would be even more effective if not pre-empted in the preamble. I'd try that start again. But, as I said, it's all most enjoyable.

milner

wow

I think it is well written
but it is cheap and cliched
give it some depth
what is it to confess personal imadequacy
and to be a vehicle of forgiveness
may be your message is about the jejune
You write well clever but give faith belief
a customary token guesture of possible meaning
many people have it

Mel

Thanks Milner. I think your strictures concerning the first stanza are on the button.

That would be a different poem written by a very different person. Best I can offer is godless feuilletonism  I'm afraid.

You are right
we can only write
from the place where we are and from who we are.
Your skill and craftsmanship is like a silversmith.
I think it was more a personal shoulder shove
Your insight and reflection suggests we came out from
the same confessional box.

Your poem drifted into my consciousness
just after hearing Sister Helen Prejean talk.
The movie 'Dead man walking' was based on her work.
At the same conference was a great preacher
speaking in a poetic form
called Timothy Radcliff O.P. a Dominican
setting the world on fire.
Disturbing me from my slumber of the mundane.

Yes, this is a great poem. I was brought up Catholic
and went to school run by nuns. God limitless room for
ranting poetry there!

Will post a few no doubt.

This poem has great craft.  Well said.

e

This moves well beyond the inferences of a Catholic story. There is an aspect of chatter and its effect on atonement that plays throughout the read, regardless of author's intent. One of those poems that happens all over the place and not restricted to "saying".

A Feature for me...

larry

Good pick

Excellent pick. Congratulations!

I told you those editors don't know what on earth they're playing at!
But I won't let the conviction that there are better poets and better poems more deserving of  being showcased spoil the surreptitious pleasure of the moment..

congrats on the front page landing, johnny.saturn!----an honor VERY deserved...

michael

Well done johnny Saturn
glad your skill and ability
have been elevated.

Excellent pick.