Parable of Leaving

you knew me biblically

but never like a religion

while i was your most devout disciple

breathing you in was gospel

and the light in your eyes washed me of all my ails

every word out of your mouth became ritual

palms pressed together

for not a day less than seven years

innocent love borne from 2am phone calls

and asking each other if God was real

turned into envy, rage, grief

sacrilege for the sake of trying to survive

each other and everything else

the altar i leave standing for you

left me a temple, desecrated