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Article: Waiting for the Messiah.(Poem)
- Article from:
- Poetry
- Article date:
- August 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Modern Poetry Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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WAITING FOR THE MESSIAH
Every year some student would claim to be the Messiah.
It was the rabbi who had to deal with them.
He had jumped, years ago, from a moving boxcar
on the way to a death camp. That jump
left him ready for anything.
This year at Pesach, a Jewish student proclaimed
Armageddon. "Burn the books! Burn the textbooks!"
he shouted to a cheerful crowd
in Harvard Square, sang Hebrew songs
to confuse the Gentiles,
dressed for the end like Belshazzar.
People stopped to whisper and laugh.
"I have a noble task to perform," the boy explained
gravely. "I am preparing myself to endure
the ...