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Article: Death angel, mad cow, hoof & mouth.(Poetry)(Brief Article)(Poem)
- Article from:
- The Antioch Review
- Article date:
- March 22, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Antioch Review, Inc. 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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The Lord ate the firstborn camels, asses,
sons of Egypt. His death angel spewed fumes,
smote hip and thigh. Ever ravenous for sacrifice,
Yahweh knew how to hurt a tribe, a race,
purge of primogeniture, family dirge. This
was the start of mass murder--if you don't count
the Flood--vicious beyond even scarlet Nile, flies.
This scriptural bloodletting and eating
meant little in my workers' neighborhood
of sexless pets squatting on dandelion lawns.
The cattle are lowing the poor baby wakes. But
little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.
White-hat cowboys drove their herds to market
but they ate beans. Brave and trusty TV mounts,
Trigger, Buttermilk, Silver, Scout battled ...