Let the chains lay heavy
on shoulders of bronze
as the oil floats by.
Keep an eye on a key
and it’s hole of freedom light.
See the sphinx winking on
and prowling in the night?
And oil keeps floating by.
A pharaoh is turning in
his tomb trying to get
comfortable again.
And oil keeps floating by.
The streets fill, erupt
like a plague of frogs
while armies break it up.
They jump and croak.
And oil keeps floating by.
Will the pyramids be
overturned and spin
like tops
on the sphinx’s
litter box?
And oil keeps floating by.
Thirty years minus three
thousand.
Thirty years plus three.
A simplified answer.
What is that to thee?
And oil keeps floating by.
A religious antidote
slips like a camel
through a needles eye.
That eye of freedom
a squint with a sty.
And oil keeps floating by.
Not rest for middle earth
that land that has been
shuffled from birth.
Middle East so far from mid west.
And oil keeps floating by.
Poignant commentary that is rich in imagery and references to history and myth. Excellent work, Jerry.
ReplyDeletefabulous social commentary...mixed in wiht a bit of history and that refrain through out...poignant indeed.
ReplyDeleteOil seems to be the life blood of greed.
ReplyDeleteI loved that refrain...it added such a wonderful element to this piece.
I loved this poem, Jerry.
I can see why you are a part of Glynn's Faith, Friends and Fiction. You are a poet, I see. I saw your comment over at Glynn's a couple weeks ago and wanted to say hello!
ReplyDeleteAn excellent statement in poetic verse of man's incessant greed
ReplyDeleteI think this is my favorite so far. I've read more than a little about Egypt and this one captures the depth of history and social nuance behind the current situation and its consequences.
ReplyDeleteWe have come to the point Jerry where there is no past or future only the oil floating buy. Nothing else matters, just that damn oil.
ReplyDeleteHi Jerry
ReplyDeleteits so apt and interesting... 'And oil keeps floating by.'
I enjoyed it very much...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/02/whispers-another-kind-of-valentines-day.html
Good use of song-ish repetition. Effective.
ReplyDeletewow - now you're going into political themes with your writing...very well done jerry...
ReplyDeletefabulous depiction of society with a wonderful ref to history. an interesting write.
ReplyDelete