A hymn for the exiled

one two three four five six seven
the word came down to him from heaven
and naked as an animal, he knew:
everything of flesh and bone
he could call it all his own
if he could name it, he could lay claim to it, too

but after all the word was spoken
you sent him out into the open
all alone to make his broken promise whole again
eight nine ten eleven twelve
did you see how far he fell?
did you watch him covering his body in his shame?

and wanting you near him
though you couldn't hear him
he was falling down with your name in his mouth

a thousand thousand years pass through me
stoned on loneliness and movies
where people make their love in foreign tongues
every family locks their door
every man in uniform
reminds me of the body of my own one

i knew you before i met you
i've forgotten why i left you
all i wanna do is get back into your good grace
call you by your hundred names
till it makes you mine again
till i get my will back in this godforsaken place

i want you near me
i know you can't hear me, now
but i'm falling down with your name
i want you near me
i wish you could hear me, now
while i'm falling down with your name in my mouth