Trompe L’Oeil

I really love your work
the way it is nailed by its wrists
to a cross
I mean to say
the way it gushes from nothingness
but words make a meal of me
chomp chomp
and isn’t it Jesus
everybody is buzzing about
the way he was not wearing
a microphone
and did not own a camera
to self-record the curtaining
of himself
as he knew himself
tremoring up there on the grain
how did he wait for it
I cannot imagine
I can only make a small map
of my fingerprints
which are your fingerprints
and a roof
which is a human roof
and tell you
how good it is
to have a roof
before the sky.

—Melissa Broder is the author of the poetry collection When You Say One Thing but Mean Your Mother (Ampersand Books).

Copyright © 2011 by the author or Christianity Today/Books & Culture magazine.Click here for reprint information on Books & Culture.

Our Latest

The Bulletin

A Third Presidential Term, South American Boat Strikes, and ChatGPT Erotica

Trump hints at running in 2028, US strikes more alleged drug boats, ChatGPT produces erotica.

Review

Finding God on the Margins of American Universities

A new account of faith in higher education adds some neglected themes to more familiar story lines.

From Prohibition to Pornography

In 1958, CT pushed evangelicals to engage important moral issues even when they seemed old-fashioned.

Indian Churches Encourage Couples to Leave and Cleave

For many couples, in-laws are a major source of marital strife.

Tackling Unemployment

The head of The T.D. Jakes foundation on job assistance and economic empowerment.

Review

First Comes Sex, Then Comes Gender

A new book acknowledges both categories as biblically valid—but insists on ordering them properly.

In Politics, Contempt Is a Common Tongue

Antisemitic, racist texts show the need for spiritual and character renewal.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Stephen Enada: Exposing a Silent Slaughter

Unpacking the crisis facing Nigeria’s persecuted Church

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube