Faith

Legendary
Mythical
Allegorical
I’m the most persecuted one of all—
no one can quite
believe that I exist.
I may have been a virgin (weren’t we all once?)
and a martyr (behold my palm frond!)
who died in France.
I may have been roasted
on a brazen bed—
for a hussy or a saint?
I may have been
bereft of my head.
I may have been capricious
as a patroness, perhaps giving favor,
or taking it away if you were
ungenerous.
I may have reached
cult status
along the Via Compostela
with my sisters, Hope and Charity—
We may have been immortalized
in the letters of Sanctus Paulus
(he said my sister was the greatest of all)
Or I might exist only so long as
you can see me,
hold me in your hand,
wish upon me like a feather,
fly with me in your hatband,
believe in me if you can,
if you think
      you can.