OCEANVUONG

PRAYERFORTHENEWLYDAMNED

Dear
estFat
her
,for
giv
emef
orIhav
e seen.

Behi
ndt
hewoodenf
ence,
afi
eld 
l
it

wi
thsummer
,amanpr
essi
nga 
shank

t
oanot
herman’
sthr
oat
.St
eel
tur
ningt
o l
i
ght

onsweat
-sl
i
ckneck.For
giv
e me

f
ornotcal
l
ingYourname.For
 t
hinki
ng:

t
hismustbehowev
ery
 pr
ayer

begi
ns—t
hewor
d Pl
ease 
cleav
ing

t
hewi
ndi
ntof
ragment
s,i
nto 
what

aboyhear
sinhi
sneedt
o know

howpai
nbl
essest
hebody
 back

t
oit
ssi
nner
.Thehour
 suddenl
y

st
il
led.Themangenuf
lect
ed,
his 
l
ips

pr
essedt
obl
ackbootast
hewor
ds 
spi
l
led

f
rom hi
smout
hli
ke 
rosar
ies

shat
ter
ingf
rom t
oo 
much

Fat
her
.Am Iwr
ongt
o l
ove

t
hoseey
es,
toseesomet
hingso 
clear
andbl
ue—begt
o r
emai
n

cl
earandbl
ue?Di
dmycheek 
twi
tch

whent
hatdar
knessbl
oomedf
rom hi
s cr
otch

andt
ri
ckl
edi
ntoochr
edi
rt
? Fat
her
,

howqui
ckl
ythebl
ade 
becomes

You.Butl
etmebegi
nagai
n:Ther
e’sa 
boy

kneel
i
ngi
nahousewi
thev
erydoorki
cked 
open

t
osummer
.Ther
e’saquest
ion 
cor
rodi
ng

hi
stongue.Ther
e’sakni
fe 
touchi
ng

Yournamel
odgedi
nsi
det
he 
thr
oat
.

Dear
estFat
her
,whatbecomesoft
he 
boy

nol
ongeraboy
? Pl
ease—

whatbecomesoft
he 
shepher
d

whent
hesheepar
e canni
bal
s?