Pilot Lights, by Thomas M. McDade

Vehicle Crash

Lecturing grave and monument
flames are pilot lights
rekindling what guilt dictates.
And the fiery auto wrecks
work too, their drivers
whose untimely
urges to switch stations
did them in but not
the evangelists
railing on and on wearing
the sturdy radio waves
like grace or asbestos.

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Thomas M. McDade is a 77-year-old resident of Fredericksburg, VA, previously CT & RI. He is a graduate of Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT. McDade is twice a U.S. Navy Veteran serving ashore at the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center, Dam Neck Virginia Beach, VA, and at sea aboard the USS Mullinnix (DD-944) and USS Miller (DE / FF-1091).