St. Dominick's

At St. Dominick's on Canal Street
there is a faded gray X
painted on the sidewalk.
Out of reverence for the saints,
rescuers refused to deface
the holy bricks.

Hurricane Katrina's waters didn't get this high,
so the numbers on the arms
of this X,
though barely discernible,
tell zero found, zero lost.

The rescuers moved on.
The saints stood
in silent prayer,
that others' pain
would be eased,
as they looked to God,
The Eternal Rescuer.