Petition To The Virgin Poem by James Mullaney

Am I deceived, Mary, to trust in Thee
When orphans in Shenzhen sew my new shirt,
While the ice caps melt in the swollen sea
And four million Congolese die over dirt;
While Mesopotamia howls in strife
And fires expunge what remains of the west;
While Frankenstein patents modified life
And torturers shame us - under arrest -
While triplex condos house sleek neon bars
And debutantes kiss-kiss showered in light,
And media barons affix false stars,
And Yankee Stadium roars through the night?
I trust in Thee, and call the world my home,
New York, New York - or Imperial Rome.