Six thousand years ago (we’re told) the world
Began. By page six, my Old Testament
Details preemptive murder—Cain’s hate-hurled
Fratricidal stone—envy’s lust unpent.
Eleven-hundred-fifty-six pages
Follow—filled with slaughtered Amalekites,
Philistines, Israelites, Jebusites
Egyptians—all defiled by holy rage.
Three thousand unarmed men, stabbed to the bone
At Sinai by their Levite priests—for what?
Dancing round a golden bull? While Aaron,
Levite exec, who shaped that god-damned plot,
Gets bailed (surprised?) like every other
Well-connected pol, since the edge of time.
He was, after all, Mo’s older brother.
But wait, there’s more! Gaze on that heartless crime—
The holocaust at Jericho, where Yah
Demanded death for ev’ry living thing.
Qui bono? Surprise! Levites shout “Huzzah!”
And divvy up the blood-drenched loot, the bling.
We’re only up to Joshua—about
A quarter through—you’ve heard it all before,
Nothing’s changed (except technology)—now
We kill at distance—blesséd art of war.
Good for the economy, the holy
Bottom line, bold antagonistic greed
Drives a world (no crop from parched wisdom’s seeds),
Governed by ego—malign, deadly creed.
Hey Great Spirit—Yahweh, Allah, Buddha,
Brahma, Xango, Izanagi, Shiva—
Whatever you call yourself—for god’s sake,
Merge multiple personalities! Make
Peace. Dance, if you must, prance, flame—but forgive
Damnit! Teach yourself to live and let live.
(10/25/09)