‘Maranatha’, ‘Saints’, ‘Offerings’

Photographer - Tobi Brun

‘maranatha’

on the very first day of the year
we all sat tied-up and watched on the old projector
the same glorious service from a far away church
with a proper garden, a proper pulpit
something we could only dream of
while our mosquitoes flew in circles like the fans spreading out dust and heat
but at that time, we were equal
actually, we felt better than the ones suffering:
global warming, wars, hunger
how beautiful, isn’t it?
the pastor used to scream in complete awe
while the washed off colors of the screen flicked
how close we are from Salvation —
Maranatha we would sing
Jesus will come for us;
seven horns, seven eyes
continuing the year
the word reverberated in my mind
as if i was caged, brought back to that wooden bench:
i looked at the sunsets after thunderstorms
and kneeled praying for my life
i heard ominous music resembling the trumpets
and hid myself inside

Saints

I have Saints in my walls, my shelves, my bags
Some Saints I am not sure who they may concern
I just want to connect everything to the Holy.
Maybe in an attempt to find meaning in the mess my room is
Though I am afraid of reading the Bible
Realizing what it has to say about me
About the sour candy wraps scattered around
I don’t know much about the Gospels;
But I know about the rage of God to Cain
You know, it is the way the church raises that is killing me

offerings

i went to a chapel in a crisp monday morning
to sit at the bench by the Virgin Mary
she looked youthful, with her hands clasped and her kind countenance
the statue was made with white stone
but so colorful it looked with all of its offerings
many rosaries with beads of different colors and materials
flowers around her halo and on the holy ground
bracelets spelling a secret, prayer cards to São Longuinho
i could not even pay attention to my prayers because all i could think was
how beautiful,
it is a canvas of the community
of what we long for, of what we are

Anna Correa is an Brazilian immigrant based on Orlando, FL. She studies computer science and is an editor for her local school magazine. She has been featured at Phoenix Magazine, The Word's Faire, and Wingless Dreamer Publisher. More of her work can be found at annacorrea-archive.com.

The Rosary

Photographer - Tobi Brun

The Rosary

The holiness lies
On the repetition
On stating
I am willing to do what it takes
On daring, grounding yourself

A sacred ritual,
The purest of liturgies;
Our sacrifice on the altar

The blood flows deep on the knees
The arms dance for the cross
The mouth sings with the angels

Mary, allow me to do it justice.
Even if that means
Sacrificing myself on your presence

Creating a splash,
A banquet for the Saints
May the Grace of God shine on me.

Anna Correa is a Brazilian immigrant and a computer science student based in Orlando, FL. Anna is an editor for her local school literary magazine called Phoenix, in which she has been featured with the poem ‘The Snake’. She enjoys matcha lemonade late at night.