Samsung photograph of a ,ural painting on 9th Street at Harrison Street in San Francisco

9th and Harrison

Flash fiction, LGBTQ, Photography and Art, San Francisco Graffiti and Mural Art, Surrealism, Writing

Harry watches television in silence.

God plants clues in everything, and Harry thinks
with enough silence, God will say who he is.

But these distractions, these sins; they’re not Harry’s
sins, but they want to be.

These sins want to inflate Harry’s ego and obscure God clues.

Harry searches God’s hiding places: asylums, dumpsters,
crack dens, hustlers, and speed freaks.

God swims in oceans of puke and dares Harry to follow.

Harry sleeps for two or three days in the sanitized houses
of God where pious friars who don’t know God tell him to
pray and give him deodorant.

Harry wants to belong to these men.

He wants clean hair and an eternally pregnant mother
dressed in stars.

But God is on the street across from the church sleeping
in a stream of piss.

How did it begin?

When Harry was five, he lapsed into the unhurried sleep of the
child and had a dream…

 

 

(c) Rob Goldstein 2018

28 thoughts on “9th and Harrison”

    1. Thank you Robbie.

      For me, the most profound aspect of the Nativity story is this: the most powerful force in the Universe decides incarnates among the trash of the ancient world.

      The story turns ideas of royalty and class upside down. Jesus is the King of Kings and a peasant.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Wow, I have to read this several times to try to understand it. It’s close, but hidden for me. Like on the tip of my tongue, but not there. You know?

    The art work is stunning! I love the textures, the pose, and the colors. But, you know I’m all about the birds. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh, I agree! I also feel we could all do well to realize how it feels to walk in another’s shoes. . . More Love and compassion needed around the world. 🌐 💞
        No judgement of each other either!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. A segment of the population uses emotional reasoning to solve problems. Our emotion’s have a place in our reasoning but the undisciplined use of emotional is what leads to belief systems based on lies and magical thinking, IE: I’m a patriot because I say I am even is the guy I support is a Russian Asset he’s a patriot because I wish it.

        Like

  8. Both pieces are very powerful, Rob. My favourite lines: “He wants clean hair and an eternally pregnant mother dressed in stars.
    But God is on the street across from the church sleeping in piss.” Thanks for sharing this with us.

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.