Gas Jesus

Christ came down
from the Poconos to Paterson
where the dry visages
wept tears of gasoline

Christ came down
from Patterson to Passaic
where they stripped his wheels
and burned the rubber

Christ came down
from Passiac to Rahway
where they knotted his smoke
in denim nostrils

Christ came down
from Rahway to Lindenhurst
where they found him for sale
$899, today only

Christ came down
from Lindenhurst to Edison
where they filled him with rags
and saved their daughters

Christ came down
from Edison to Eatontown,
Nazi memorabilia
dead in October

Christ came down,
down on the highway,
till the highway got dark
and he disappeared:

Gas Jesus, '55 Chevy
Toms River junkyard, deadend moonlight
pitted chrome, lux aeterna,
asphyxia's home, Sunday's coming.