Quittance

An empty pocket is an empty pocket
that's all Joshua can see
the tears of its hunger
a reminder of a protracted destiny
while donations to the temples
confirm the need for charity
an immoral circle of thorns
their sacrificial catalyst
in the voodoo of necessity
the needles of an addiction
Joshua cannot readily resist

Joshua and the missing treasure
digital plastic fills the Holy Grail
as they kneel before an alter
the sacraments of hated infidel 
meaningless and unhinged by any means 
divine right of kings to win the race
all it takes is always more 
than it ever takes
follow my leader blackguard
in a pointless paper chase

The frigid facts of a hard living
are the fortunes of Joshua's hereditary 
recites the congregation
a sermon from the scripture repeated incessantly
always need more than you are given
given more than anyone ever needs
so bless this manual labor
with the supplicants bended knee
praise the figurehead of Joshua 
from the pulpit of a swindlers diocese

Cold rain in neon
dark and shivering 
Joshua walks alone
diamonds drip from the windows
onto a wasteland choked to barren
no one there to see the sightless
no one there to save themselves
the empty eye-sockets they have brought
the beaten children no longer feel 
no longer kneel for the Joshua of love
they stare into their emptied pockets
and pray they will be filled
by some nameless god above

The gates of Eden stand open
Joshua's paradise of this planetary key
a perfectly perceptible creation 
which the sleeping eyes are shown
and the unfortunate never see
in the hope to someday awaken
Joshua waiting patiently
to learn they are not alone
and after all their searching
find that Joshua will be forever home


Joshua : from the Hebrew name Yehoshu'a meaning "YAHWEH is salvation",

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