In California There Are
Two Hundred And Fifty Six
Religions
by Robert Hayden
i.
In California there are
Two hundred and fifty six religions.
And I guess I belonged
To the two hundred fifty fifth;
At least it was odd
Or seems odd in retrospect
Or will seem odd to you, when I tell you
We didn’t eat meat or drink alcoholic beverages
Or smoke.
You say that’s not odd in California?
Then how about not wearing red and black,
Not BELIEVING in red and black,
Because colors have vibratory rates,
And black and red have low vibratory rates,
Cosmically speaking;
Black not being a color at all and red
Being
On the short end of the spectrum.
ii.
Everyone knows that black is the color of death
And we didn’t believe in death,
And red is the color of blood and therefore--
No, not life, but anger, danger.
(You know a bull is angered by a red cape,
Despite the fact he is colorblind and bleeding.)
Like those of any faith, I needed all faith,
And you would laugh, not having faith
Were I to tell you about the Cosmos
And the creation
Because you heard it differently.
Most people like their myths to be familiar,
Or to have attained a respectable age.
No one wants to be caught, in this day and age,
On the short end of the spectrum.
