evils origins and evils end - kathleen flake

8/13/2019 Evils Origins and Evils End - Kathleen Flake

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Joseph Smith offered unique, radical solutions to the Christianco nu nd mm of how a good God could create evil and how,

in the end, evil shall be subdued.

EVILS ORI INSND EVILSENDIN TH JOS PH SMITH

By Kathleen Flake

INTRODUCTIONI HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE REASON W ARE SOinterested in the origin of evil is that we are trylng to figureout how to end it. We ask What causes evil? and Whyis there evil? so that we can figure out how to make it go awayWh en Latter-day Saints ask such questions, we tend to tur n to2 Neph i 2 for answers, especially Lehi's statemen t that there isan opposition in all things (2 Ne. 2: ll ) . This is the phrasethat many Sunday School teachers have used to make thepoint that w ithout evil there would be no g ood, and since weneed good, we have to put up with evil. In short, evil origi-nates as part of the plan to enab le us to choose good. This rea-soning is at best a slippery slope, though we seldom have toadmit the downward slide. Sunday School class is over tooquickly, and n ot un til later, in the personal experience of evil,do we find ourselves sprawled in a ditch, wondering how abenev olent God could be respo nsible for the evil that has com eupon us. Only then do we rage: how can this be necessary,mu ch less constructive of what I am to becom e?Today, having a bit more time than in a Sunday Schoollesson, I want to consider three questions. What is the originof evil? Wha t is th e natu re of evil? And h ow will evil be pu t toan end? I introduce my remarks with two caveats. First, theseare hopelessly deep questions, and I don't presume to be ableto make definitive statements in answer to them. I can onlyoffer a few thoughts that have come to me as a result of timespent in the above-mentioned ditch. Second, my remarks arebased almost exclusively on scriptural text, and, therefore, 1have a problem that I admit at the onset: these texts are ex-tremely androcentric. For some, that does not pose a problem;KATHLEEN FLAKE is a Ph.D. candidate in the history of religionat the Univ ersity of Chicago.

you will be able to identify easily with the n arratives and whatI say about them. Others will find these texts ironically exem-plary of an evil that oppresses them day and night. This willchallenge your capacity to trust both these narratives and whatI argue they teach us about evil. Therefore, I ask you-espe-cially those who find oppressive patriarchy a redundancy-to willingly suspe nd your disbelief (as Coleridge says) inorder to receive what these texts have to teach us. You willneed to do so to determine if something of worth is in whatthese stories have to say notwithstanding that not one singlewoman or, for that matter, person of color is among their he-roes. I know that is a lot to ask. I like Alma's invitation in suchmatters: awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experi-ment upon my words . . . (Alma 32:27 ). I prefer his invitationto Coleridge's phrase because it admits the importance of re-taining one's critical faculties an d experimental-or experien -tial -capacities to judge amo ng com peting truth claims; or,in this case, to ascertain the possible existence of a righteouspatriarchy a nd an evil imitation thereof. So, let us turn to thetexts.

EVIL5 ORIGINJoseph Smith s add ition to Genesis reveals that

God is not the creator of evil.CLOSER look at Lehi's sermon on agency-withoutthe expectation of finding in it traditional Christiannotio ns of original sinv-reveals that to Lehi the exis-tence of opposition in all things is goo d. It is what preven tsus from remainling ] as dead . (2 Ne. 2 : l l) . If, he says,things were not a com pou nd in one bu t, insteadone body it must needs remain as dead , having no lifeneither death . . . it must needs h ave been created fora thing of naught; wherefore there would have been

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no purpose in the end of itscreation. Wherefore, this th ingmust needs destroy thethe intent of the traditional Christianaccoun t of the Fall is to set u p a radicalorigin of evil distinct from the more pri-wisdom of God and his eternal mordial orign of the goodnessLofpurposes, and also the power, SUCH AS GENESIS th in gs v2 n contrast, Joseph Smith's ad-and the mercy, and the justice dition of the Council in Heaven to theof God. (2 Ne.2: 11-12) traditional Genesis narrative teaches

In other words, without such opposi- TELL US WHO WE N OW that the option of evil existed, as didtion in all things, God could not bring we, primordially-prior to earthly cre-to pass the immortality and eternal life ARE AND W HO M WE ation. The Book of Abraham speaksof his children; God could not make us more obliquely, but to the same pointlike God an d, therefore, would cease to and more broadly applied. Whombe what we understand a god is. Thus, M A V BECOME. shall I send? God asks, And one an-that we and everything else are neces- swered like un to the Son of Man. . . .sarily a comp ound in one is not how And another answered. . . . And theevil orig na tes . Rather, it is a source of Lord said; I will send the first. And thelife, even the po tential for divine life in us. T his is strong do c- second was angry a nd k ept n ot his first estate; and , at that day,trine, but no stronger than that found in Doctrine an d many followed after him. (Abr. 3:27-28.) Thus beginning his-Coven ants 93 , which teaches that each of us was also in the tory with the events of the Cou ncil of Heaven establishes inbegnning with God. [As] Intelligence, or the light of truth, LDS theology that evil no more originates than go od originates;[which] was not created or m ade, neither indeed can be. . . . they are always potential to t he ac t, as choice, of the uncrea ted[And therefore each is] indepen dent in that sphere in which person. In the w ords of Sterling McM umn, for Latter-dayGod has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; 0th - Saints, [mlo ral evil . . . exists not because of God, but in spiteenvise there is no existence. Behold here is the agency of of him an d notwithstand ing his struggle to destroy it. 3man. . . (DQC 93:29-31 .) Thu s, Latter-day Saint theology We see this abstract theological statement brought to life inplaces the highest possible premium on agency It is the source Enoch's question to God : How is it that the heavens weep,of our progressive capacity; to lose it would be to die or to be an d she d forth their tears as the rain up on the mountains? . .dam ned . We can see this in the first story God tells us abou t How is it that thou canst wee p, seeing thou art holy, and fromourselves. all etern ity to all etern ity? (Moses 7:28-29.) Thi s suffering,First stories are very important. They are the ones we go weeping god of Mormonism is not the man Jesus upo n theback to again and again to understand the present and to envi- cross. He is the eternal god of heaven and earth who cries forsion future possibilities. Consider where you choose to begin his antediluvian children, bou nd by Satan who had a greatto tell the tale of life. Do you begin at your birth? Maybe. More chain in his hand a nd it veiled the whole face of the earth withlikely, you start your story more purposefully with be gn nin g darkness; an d he looked up an d laughed, and his angels re-school, going on a mission, getting ma me d, birthing a child, joiced -and God wept (Moses 7:26). What is this evil thator converting to a church. You m ay find begn ning s in rever- exists in spite of [ God ] and no twithstanding his struggle tosals of each of these experiences as well. Beginnings of histo- destroy it ?ries are not a given. They are a function of m alang m eaningout of the past to explain the present and to con struct a future. A DEFINITION OF EVILIn Latter-day Saint scripture, God begins the narrative of our LuciJererS great lie is that the object of existencehistory by telling Moses of a meeting prior to the creation of is to gain power over othersthis world. The first words spoken in this first story are:Behold, here am I, send me . I will be thy so n, and I will re- their face, the words that make Lucifer into Satandeem all mank ind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I do not appear to us particularly objectionable:will do it. . . (Moses 4:1).l Behold, here am I, send me. I will be thy son, and I

You recognize these strong words, no doubt. They are will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, andspoken by Lucifer, the Son of the M orning, or Satan, he who surely I will do it. . . . (Moses 4 :l .) Isn't this what God shouldwas cast do wn an d ou t of God's presence becau se he said these have wanted? Maybe the sweet reasonableness of Lucifer'swords. They stand in powerful contrast to the first event and words mak e it necessary for the narrative to ex pressly stipulatefirst words in tradition al Christianity5 cosmic history: Let the reasons why G od rejected Lucifer's alternative: Wherefore,there be light . . says God over a perfect creation, into which because that Satan rebelled against me, an d sou ght to destroyevil has yet to appear and, when it does, comes as a result of the agency of ma n, which I, the Lord God, had given him, andhuman action (Gen. 1:l). Consequently, for the rest of the also, that I should gve unto him mine own power; by theChristian world, Go d has power o n earth o ver evil because evil power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be castis subordinate to-or com es after an d indepen den t of-God's down; And h e became Satan, yea, . . . the father of all lies . . .fundamentally good creation. As stated by one philosopher, Moses 4:3). Thus, Lucifer's plan came after and in contradic-

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tion to the presentation by God of hisown plan. This Son of the M orning hadbecome rebellious, ambitious, and de-love and follow him by imitation, notforce. We see it in the Holy Spirit'sfilling, not possessing, us.structive. But, just what was so threat- In-sum, what makes Lucifer's planening about him and his offer that it WAS INHERENTLY definitive of evil? As I read the text,galvanized all present into conflict and there are two problems. First, Luciferresulted in Lucifer's being damned? I wanted a monopoly on Gods honor

would argue that Lucifer's action cre- DESTRUCTIVE OF OTHERS and glory, but God wanted all to shareated a uniq ue crisis because it threat- in his glory-to be 'tjoint heirs.ened the life of all present, even God. IWCLUDINQ GOD Second, Lucifer intended to accom-Lucifer sought his father's power- plish his plan by means of compul-God's own powern-by destro yng its sion-which was inherently destruc-source, and in doing so, he threatened HIMSELF; ULTIMATELY tive of others, including God himself.the life of all present, even God . To redeem by force is an impossibility,Remember, the first chapter of the IT WOULD HAVE an d, h ence, Lucifer's offer was a lie. WeJoseph Smith Translation has already are made indepen dent in that sphere inexplained that bringing to pass which God has placed us. To lose thateternal life is not only God's w o rk but ENDED LIFE ITSELF. agency would be to lose that sphere ofalso his glory, or power (Moses 1:39 ). life to which we h ad progressed; it is toThus, because Lucifer's plan would be d am ned . Lucifer's plan was antithet-have destroyed human agency-the ical to God's plan, which was designedsource of ou r progressive capacity-it would have also de- to en do w us with the quality of his own life. Lucifer's order wasstroyed Go& power. Here is where Lehi's words are relevant: an anti-order. It was designed to take life. The story of the ser-all things must needs be a com pound in one; where- pent in the Garden illustrates this point. Thus, the snake servesfore, if it shou ld be one bod y it mu st needs rema in as as the transition figure in the narrative's turn from the events atdead, having no life neither dea th. it mu st needs the Coun cil to those of the Garden : Satan put it into the hearthave been created for a thing of naught; wherefore of the serpent, (for he had drawn many away after him,) andthere would have been no purp ose in the en d of its he soug ht also to beguile Eve,for he knew not the mind of God,creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy wherefore he sought to destroy the world (see Moses 4:6,the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also em ph. add ed). Here, to Satan's grandiosity and malevolence isthe power, and the mercy, an d the justice of God. (2 add ed the additional problem of ignorance , e.g ., he know s notNe. 2: 11-12) the min d of God. In the JST, Satan is not only displayngLucifer's plan to be the one was ultimately an attempt at regi- malice but also a fund amen tal misun derstanding abo ut thecide, even patricide, at unraveling the order by which life is en- way life works when he says, consistent with the King Jamesgende red. For this evil, he is cast out of God's presence . Version: Ye shall not surely die ye shall be as gods,In the Council in Heaven narrative, then, we are gven the knowin g good and evil (Moses 4:lO-11). With the benefit oftwo definitive characteristics of evil that take it beyond the ju- the Council narrative, we see that Satan's approach has notridical notio n of sin or of a transgression of law. First, evil seeks changed. As spoken by the serpent, the object of existence isto destroy the power of others. Second, it does so for the pur- power, to be as gods. Moreover, he continues to advan ce hispose of augmenting its own power. In the words of Cain, who will by deception . Of course, Adam and Eve would dielater accepts Lucifer's plan, evil is the conviction that I may throu gh p artaking of the fruit, but just as significantly, this wasmu rder an d get gain (Moses 5:31)-or, that I may empower not the way to know good from evil. Such knowledge wouldmyself by dest roy ng others. This is what makes evil the oppo - come only by their experience. And , finally, the knowledg e ofsite of order as defined by w ho God is. As discussed, Lucifer's good an d evil is not the mean s of becom ing as gods. Rather,plan was an evil one because it attacks what makes God what it is the know ledge of God that m akes one like God, as thehe is, a parent. We call God father becau se he is defined by Savior says: This is life eternal that they migh t kno w thee thehis capacity to engender the quality of his own life in others only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (Johnthrough the operation of their agency This order of being by 17:3 ). Indeed, their transgression distanced them from thiswhich life is engen dered is exem plified by the Only Begotten know ledge. Satan is, as God says in the Counc il narrative, theof the Father and, thus, it bears his name: the Holy father of all lies, to deceive an d to blind men , and to lead themPriesthood, after the Ord er of the Son of God (D&C 107 :3). captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken untoThe true attributes of this order are set ou t in section 121 , an d my voice (Moses 4:4 .its promise includes thy dom inion shall be an everlasting do- Cain however believed Satan. His first words in the narra-minion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee tive are Who is the Lord, that I should know him? (JST Gen.forever an d ever (D&C 12 1:4 6). We see this principle of non- 5: 4; Moses 5 :6). Even Cain's offering to the Lord of the firstcom pulsory dom inion in Christ's asking that we obey out of fruits of his field is a response to Satan's com ma nd. W hen the

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Lord rejects this offering and accepts tion of the antidiluvians, we see theAbel's, Cain is very w r o th notes the VIL LIES I N classic charac teristic s of evil: a Satan-KJV, an d the JST adds : Now Satan knew inspired administration of death for thethis, and it pleased him (JST Gen. 5: 8; purpose of obtaining power that makesMoses 5:21). The addition of the char- THE OPPOSITION chaos ou t of God's order. Of them , Godacter of Satan to this story is character- says: among all the workm anship ofistic of Jose ph Smith's translation of m i han ds there has not been so greatGenesis. Moses, too, encounters the AMO NG AND BETWEEN wickedness. . . . [They do n ot] choosedevil, as does Enoch. In each instance me their Father . But, 'behold, they arein which he appears, the character of PEOPLE, I N THE WILL without affection, and they hate theirSatan is a foil who offers his own and own blood. . . .[Therefore] Satan shallopposite covenant in direct imitation of be their father . . . and the wholeGod's. Joseph adds eight verses where TO POWER OVER, heavens shall weep over them. . .the K JV uffices with on e reference to (Moses 7: 36, 33, 37.) s you know,Cain's killing Abel. These new verses NOT POWER ON Father Satan will be so successful inprovide motive for the crime. Cain, we replacing the order of Father God withare told, listened not any more to the his own anti-order that God will havevoice of the L o r d and loved Satan BEHALF OFn to start his plan over again with Noahmore than G o d (JST Gen. 5:1 3, 11; and his family But first, God callsMoses 5:26, 18) As a consequence, Enoch, Noah's grandfather, to attemptSatan invites Cain to enter into a secret ANOTHER. to reestab lish a righteous order . Enoch'scovenant that he would do according story is the largest single addition (128to [Satan's] comm ands in exchange for verses) that Joseph Smith makes to thethis great secret, that I [says Cain] may King James Version; it constitutes themurder and get gain. . and he gloried in his wickedne ss. most comp lete answer in all of scrip ture to our third question:(JST Gen. 5 :14 , 1 6; Moses 5:30, 3 1.) This is Lucifer's great lie How ca n evil be brought to an en d.that he spoke in the Council, in the Garden, and now in thefield to Cain: that the object of existence is power over other s EVIL5 ENDand that this is gain and autonom y, even freedom. This is the The uncoerced choice of God and the return ofgoo dfor evil.lie that stands in opposition to truth, the knowing of whichwill make you free, according to Jesus Uohn 8:3 2). The con- E way to use the story of Enoch to answer our ques -trast is gve n voice when Cain exults over the body of his tion is to talk abou t the attrib utes of Zion . As youbrother, Abel: I am free; surely the flocks of my b rothe r falleth know, Enoch built a city that was called the City ofinto my hands (JST Gen. 5:18; Moses 5:33). Holiness, even ZION (JST Gen. 7 :2; Moses 7:19). The peopleThe exiled Cain will teach his sec rets to certain of his chil- were also called Zion because they were of one heart and ofdren , and they, too, will enter into a covenant with Satan. one mind , and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor[Alnd their works were abominations, and began to spread am ong them (Moses 7:18). In sho rt, the story of Enoch tells ofam ong all the sons of men (JST Gen. 5:39 ; Moses 5:52). Thus, a community that experienced the end of evil: no one at-in Latter-day Saint theology, Adam and Eve introduce death tempted personal gain at another's expense. Not only didinto God's creation, and C ain introduces evil. While the p oten- Enoch's people banish evil from their own relations, but alsotial for evil is coexistent with existence itself, Cain makes the they could protect themselves from th e evil of others :potential real in this world when he cho oses Lucifer's plan. Th e all nations feared [Zion] greatly, so powerful was thecontest between order a nd anti-order, between priesthood and word of Enoch and so great was the power of the languagepriestcraft, between those who would be fathers and those which God had given him. . . [And] so great was thewho would be rulers, between engendering life and talung fear of the enemies of the people of God, that theylife-this conte st is one of the greatest them es in all of scrip - fled and stood afar off an d went u pon the land whichture. Ether explains the destruction of the Jaredite nation in came u p ou t of the d ept h of the sea. And the g iants ofthese terms. He writes: there arose a rebellion among the the land, also, stood afar off . . . but the Lord camepeople, because of that secret combination which w as built up and dwelt with his people. (Moses 7:13-16, em-to get power and gain . . . (Ether 11:15 ). Mormon, too, tells a phasis added)similar story in his description of the role of the Gadianton s in Notice that th e citizens of Zion did not d estroy their enemies.the destruction of his people (Heb. 7: 18-21). And we ar e told They were able to cast evil out of their midst and cause theirthat also in Enoch's day, Satan had gr eat dom inion am ong enemies to flee and stand afar off, even cast them out as Godmen, and raged in their hearts . . and a man's hand was had done Satan. W hat was this power that enabled them to doagainst his own brother, in a dministering de ath, because of se- so? W hat was this word of Enoch and the power of languagecret works, seeking for power (Moses 6:15). In this descrip- which G od had given his people that their enemies stood afar

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off? This is where I would like to focus Loolung at the record more closely,our attention, thoug h there is much else we see that Enoch spoke these wordsin the narrative that also deserves it. by right obtained by grace, by his rightThis is a part of the ST text we seldom to [God's] throne which God hademphasize but w hich contains the most AND THE MEANS OF given him. God's order operates uponspecific instruction in the means by the principle of empowering personswhich evil ends. Here is where God an- on earth with rights to access theswers Enoch's question: How is it that THE END OF EVIL powers of heaven (DQC 121 :36). Wethou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, are told m any are called to receive theseand from all eternity to all eternity? I S BASED UPON THE rights, but few are chosen because they(Moses 7:29). do not understand that these earthlyAfter Enoch asks this first question, rights are inseparable from heavenlyhe is shown the Flood and the prison UNCOERCED DESIRES held powers. Instead, they aspire toprepared for these followers of Lucifer's earthly powers by claiming heavenlyplan. In co ntrast to his initial shock that OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE rights. They seek gain at the expense ofthe Lord would mourn such as these, the agency of others. They gratify prideEnoch now refuse Is] to be comfo rted or ambition and hide their sin. They(v. 44 and obtains a promise from God GOD AND RETURN have their version of Cain's claim:that the earth will never be covered by Truly I am Mahan, the master of thisflood again and a righteous remnant great secret . . . (Moses 5:31 . In con-would remain. The record states: the GOOD FOR EVIL trast to the many, Enoch exercisesLord could not withhold; and he earthly rights to heavenly powers to en-covenanted with Enoch, a nd sware unto sure the operation of those powers tohim with an oath, that he would stay benefit, even redeem, others. He en-the floods; that he would call upon the children of Noah . . . sures God's life-giving influence in the w orld by desiring it toand that he w ould preserve a righteous rem nant of Enoch's be so an d exercising his God-given priestlylpatriarchal rights toseed on the earth (Moses 7:51-52). Here we see Enoch the fa- engend er life in others. Again, the Lord cannot withhold andther obtaining a blessing on behalf of his posterity It is not swears an oath that he will return wh en chaos again in theenoug h that his island of peace called Zion would escape the days of wickedn ess an d vengeance threatens to destroy thechaos. The earth who remains mou rning over the wickedness plan of salvation. He will come, he says, to fulfil the oathof her children cannot be abando ned. This would thwart God's which I have made to you , Enoch (Moses 7:60). In the latterplan to give life to his children. Rather, in some way the right- days, there shall be great tribulations . . . but my people will Ieous power, which had accomp lished God's plan in wha t we preserve; an d righteousn ess will I send dow n out of heaven;call the City of Enoch and cast out evil, must rem ain to give an d truth will I sen d forth out of the earth . . to gather outthe earth her rest in glory. No dou bt Enoch thou ght this initial mine elect (Moses 7:61 -62). Unlike the workings of Satan'scovenant would solve the prob lem of evil. The vision con - anti-order, this is no secret. Moreover, it is a gathering, not atinued, howev er, an d revealed that murde r-for-gain would tri- forced march. Remem ber, God's dom inion flows to himum ph again. This time, Enoch saw the Messiah put to death without compulsory means. He saves by empowering othersan d realized that mothe r earth still would not rest. And with his own powers, no t by stripp ing them of their own. Inagain Enoch wep t a nd cried u nto the Lord, obtaining a this story of Enoch's wrestling with God to obtain blessings forsecond promise: the rest of the hu m an family, we see a comp lete pattern of whatfor asmuc h as thou art God, and I kno w thee, and appears partial in other narratives: Adam, Noah, Jacob, Nephi,thou has sworn unto m e, and commanded m e that I Enos, and of course even Jesus, as evidenced in Joh n 17. This isshou ld ask in the nam e of thine Only Begotten; tho u God's order, an d it is the mean s of the en d of evil. It engend ershas made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, life, not death. Its power over others is based upo n the unco-

and not of myself, but through thine own grace; erced desires of those who choose God to be their father andwherefore I ask thee if thou wilt not come again on the return good for evil, thereby banishing evil and ensuring theearth? (Moses 7:59 , emp hasis add ed) success of God's plan to bring to pass imm ortality and eternalEnoch is not merely asking for information when he asks this life.question. And this is one of the most powerful messages ofJoseph Smith's revelatory rew or hn g of the Genesis narrative CONCL USIONand the answer, I think, to the power of Enoch and his peo-ples' language. God heard the words of Enoch's mouth and T US, evil lies in the opposition among and betweenwas bou nd by covenant to respond. It would be in his own us; not in Lehi's doctrine of the opposition in us,way and in his own time, but God would act in response to which makes us a compound in one, makes us alive.Enoch's wo rds. Evil lives in the will to power over, no t power on behalf of,PAGE 28 AUGUST 1998


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another. Evil will end wh en we banish it by no longer desiringit and obtain by covenant access to heavenly power to cast itout from among us. Meanw hile, we can kno w that G od has thepowe r to heal us from the effects of the evil that is don e to us,if we do not fight fire with fire. As was said to another whowould yet suffer physical death at the hands of evil doers:Hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee;for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days areknown, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore,fear not what man can do. . (D&c 122:9.) I believe this iswhat is meant when we are assured that the wisdom of theLord is greater than the cunn ing of the devil. This is the m oralof our first story as given in the Council of Heaven narrative

and played out in the rest of our history. God cannot destroythe will to evil with out ce asing to be w ho he is. He is who h e is(he is God) , howe ver, because of his power to save and to healand his power to engender in us the power to cast evil out ofour midst.NOTES

1. The Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price is the pan of the JosephSmith Translation L ST] that s canonized as LDS scripture.2. Paul Ricoeur. Symbo lism of vil Boston: Beacon Press, 19671,233.

3. SterlingM. McMurrin, The Theological Foundations of the Mormon ReligionSalt Lake City: University of Utah Press. 1965). 99.

DREAM HOMEfor Linda Sillitoe

Last night, wandering throughmy childhood farmhouse,I found a whole wingundiscovered, unthought, unused.Recurring over years,this dream open s with lightI must squint to endure,a multitude of windows,light slanting down co md ors,across expansive halls.Stirred by wandering,I find more than I left,I find doors, bathed in light,all white w ith glass kno bs.Where they might lead,a quickening in my chest.I awaken slowly,pulling apart the breastbone of night,trylng to reconstruct the house,knowing more than I dare express.

-ANITA TANNER

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evils origins and evils end - kathleen flake

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