The following is from Burnside Review 4.1, “The L.A. Issue.”

Burnside Review 4.1

Little Jesus

a large statue of a baby jesus
will make your house look small
even if it’s christmas even if it’s not
there are many missions in california
in los angeles I still haven’t learned
spanish like a prayer forgive me
for taking the baby jesus for a ride
in my little red wagon if I were to talk
I’d say something wrong and wouldn’t
get home I’d like to go you can bet on that
in this nativity scene the shepherd has lost
an arm the sheep are old and cracked