The Use For Soap

A man set about washing his hands--just
a little touch to make the water shimmer,
then slowly, inch
by inch,
nail then flesh, leading to
vigorous ripples and a subtle splash of
full emergence.
He turned and twisted and interlocked his fingers
and hands;
then he rubbed them 'til they burned,
seeking cleanliness and losing control in confusion,
for at what point would his hands
be clean enough to compensate?
And through bleeding and calluses and bleeding and
water and bubbles and
dirty water that did not clean,
insatiable night yielded to morning.
And innocent blood was called on parents and their children,
And those who could not trace such lineage
went about living --
some killing
some dying
all seeking fulfillment
some seeking peace--
And the man began to eat away his hands with a sponge.

Keep washing your hands, Pilate.
Sooner or later you're going to have to make another decision about Jesus.