Partaking of Flesh and Blood

"Open your mouth just right
Not so much, boy (to my right)
that mouth of yours is a gaping cavern
you are not to swallow an ostrich egg whole
smaller, daintier, softer,
with respect and faith and worship and praise
tongue flat and touching the rim of your lips
open your mouth
for you are to receive His flesh. "

Oh Boy! Is that it really?
“I don’t like the taste of blood”
a small, teary voice pipes up
and is shut up pronto by a stern glare
"Stop talking nonsense, boy", she says
"It is not really flesh
Have you forgotten all that I taught you
Now pray for forgiveness and say your prayers. "

I volunteer to lead the stupid boy
Through the path of light I walk every day
I, the smart one, with rock-like faith
on which I built my very small shrine.
Boy seems to get it, at last
I sigh and smile
My patient, little, grown up smile
And she smiles back at me
Approval jumps at me from her round face.

Then she picks up from where she left off
"Now do be careful, do not chew
For if you do, it shall spring blood
from your small white teeth, no less
your mouth shall be bloody
and sinner you shall be".

And for all my faith I was born this skeptic
I had to see, I had to know
On the big day I took a very small bite
And caught myself just in time
Froze on the spot, expecting a river of blood
To come gushing out from my mouth.

Then I took a harder bite
And harder still, till I chewed it right
It tasted of lie and treachery
All that I built, all that I saw
I swallowed, my pride and faith and belief.