Consider a chair,
says the philosopher who breaks its back with logic
in his oak paneled study every afternoon.

Its ‘chair-ness’ exists because of the same language
he uses to argue against removing
the stone slavers who stand in the ivy quad below.

Consider a plantation,
says the student, where we might root the statues
safely among stockades of sugar cane.

Crowd the field with painted figures of Shango,
Eshu, Huracan, Jizō, Shiva, Xolotl, Amarok, Christ
and the other world experts in suffering.

Use good speakers to play the old devotionals.
Charge tourists a modest entrance fee for upkeep
with free tour of the distillery afterwards.

Consider good and evil,
how they ripen on the same tree
never falling far apart, like they were family.