Corpus Christi Letra

When I crossed over the Tiber
I used to write lesbian bookworm erotica
and no one bothered me then
in fact, I got 500 hits a day
marched in the Annapolis Pride Parade
where we handed out rosaries
(It was a joke, I swear)

I had this scene on my dresser when I was little
Little figurines-like animals and soldiers
My own little community
There was always one on the outskirts
Facing out over the edge of the dresser
With his back to the others
A little exiled soldier
His crime changed from week to week
'Til they voted him back
When he confessed to the others
That's when they voted him back
So please believe me
When I tell you what happened
Cos I
Barely believed it
Myself
When I joined the Catholic church
Looked kinda funny
I was spectacularly butch

And Christ says, “This is my body.
This is my blood.
Put your fingers in the holes in my hands
And move them around.
Wash my feet with your tears and your hair.
Don't save the good perfume.
See, I am showing you
Beauty.”

So now I walk
On the Feast of Corpus Christi
With my head held low
Get off my back, I can't explain it
I'm still a dyke, don't dare forget it
But I've seen beauty in the body
Just like the beauty I saw in high school
In the library
She had auburn hair
And a generous smile
and she was miraculous to me

So now I live the Corpus Christi
with the saints and widows
And that means I pray and keep my legs closed
Cos I think beauty is sequential
One points to another:
a little exiled soldier
and a young woman's laughter
two nail holes in plaster
ten women walk together
tenth week after Easter
one following another
All the way to the altar
And the confessions we make
We make them together
And when our bodies change
We'll all change together
To the body of Christ
The body of Christ
The body of Christ
The body of Christ