Admonition

Unexpectedly, out of nowhere,

drowning every sound

like a knock from the rafters

or thunder from the clouds,

              a stern admonition says to us:

all goodness is repentance

for knowing our nakedness

and tasting the bitter sweetness 

of flesh and bone

             that forms the body

for a heart, mind, and soul

that is never ours to keep.

Originally published in Reedy Branch Review