Confession

by Gale Acuff

Miss Hooker's my Sunday School teacher and
I fell in love with her after she threw 
me out of class for chewing gum, that's twice
in the last three weeks, I skipped one because
I thought she might forget my sin, but no,
and it is a sin to chew gum at church,
she told me so herself right after, when
my classmates all left but she kept me back
for my own good, I guess, and she was right,
I'm in love with her but just when I was
going to confess it to her she said
Let's take it to the Lord in prayer, so
we got down on our knees and before I
knew it she was calling on God to save
my soul and I guess I was, too, but I
was also begging in my mind somewhere
God to let me focus on just one love

at a time and Miss Hooker first and then
it would be God's turn, Miss Hooker's weaker
than He is anyway, at least I hope
as much, and God's been around forever
but Miss Hooker's 25, that's not young,
not to my 10 anyway. Then we said
Amen and got back on our feet, our shoes
anyway, and Miss Hooker asked me how
I felt, so I raised myself on my tip
-toes and flat out kissed her on her red wet
mouth but there was no time to tell if she
was kissing back. I love you, Miss Hooker,
I said, then turned to walk away but she
caught me by the shoulder and said, I'll pray
for you tonight--I turned around and said
I'll do the same for you, but what I meant
was that she'd kiss back next time. If I'm here.