It ain’t easy walking
the market center or alleys,
these days 

or getting around the looks of folks 
as if each had murdered someone
with a broken gaze.

 Jesus stands at the corner of Division 
and Main, hands loose at his sides, 
neon heart blinking— 

folks seem to get nervous being around him 
lately, as if they are talking 

like he should be dying again real soon
at the hands of their neighbors. 

Tim J Brennan is a 1983 UWEC grad. His poetry has appeared in Twig, Up North, The Lake, and Talking Stick. His plays have been staged in Milwaukee, Colorado Springs, and most recently in Taos, NM. Read more from Tim.