Jesusita
God only had a daughter,
Jesuitta, whom he gave to teach us love.
She was a good little girl with blond, curly hair, and often helped her mother
with the washing up and other household chores.
As she grew up and became a shapely young woman,
she coveted by men, who could not grasp her preaching
of unconditional love was not about sex;
They began talking behind her back.
Rumors had it she had twelve lovers
there was talk of orgies with wine, fried fish, and fresh bread.
She went to the church, demanded to be heard, and asked why there were no women priests and why they let sleazy merchants sell overpriced artifacts.
The clerics, who had had enough of this noisy woman, told Pilatus to do something.
He first raped her and, to his shock, realized that Jesuitta was a virgin;
This knowledge haunted him for the rest of his life.
Nevertheless, he threw her to his Roman Legionnaires as a usual tart. And the men taunted her:
“Is this what you meant by calling love absolute,
they bawled.
Their women said nothing.
They put her on the cross as the semen of a thousand soldiers
ran down her legs, she died with forgiveness in her heart.
“Look carefully and see if there could possibly be pain like my pain, like the one bestowed by You upon me.” – Lamentations 1:12
I walk the width of 2000 pound bomb crater in the densely populated refugee camp, searching centimeter by centimeter for the pieces of inhumanity littering the ground, reminding me of the legionnaires of the fascist air force bombing Guernica brutally, wondering how Picasso would paint this tragedy?
Gaza, now the biggest open graveyard in the world, with the bombs breaking the record in Guinness book of record, guttering hospitals, bakeries, schools, and convoys of war refugees, after decades of oppression.
There are cries of the wounded under the rubble, with no way to reach them,
and the stench of death spreading to the distant shores, to the throne of God.
Into Gaza I go, to find hell and retrieve my conscience.
But, you hear the voices? They don't stop singing, over the abyss of war,
Palestine will be free.
Training the enemy within,
universities soldier on
Unchecked and unaccountable
They march to the beat of the
government drum
Tearing us apart from the inside
While Rome burns
—and Legionnaires die
(Villanova Pennsylvania: August, 2014)
Jesuitta, God’s only daughter.
God only had a daughter Jesuitta, which he gave to mankind
to teach us love. She was a good little girl with blond curly hair
and often helped her mother with the washing up and other
household chores. As she grew up and came a shapely young
woman she was coveted by men, who could not grasp her
preaching of unconditional love was not about sex, they began
talking behind her back. Rumours had it she had twelve lovers,
there was talk of orgies with wine a fried fish and fresh bread.
She went to the church demanded to be heard, asked why there
were no women priests, and why the let sleazy merchant selling
overpriced artefacts? The clerics who had enough of this noisy
woman told Pilatus, he first raped her and to his shock realised
that Jesuitta was a virgin; this knowledge haunted him the rest
of his life. Nevertheless his throw her to his Roman Legionnaires
as a usual tart. And the men taunted her: “Is this what you meant
by calling love absolute, they bawled. Their women said nothing.
They put her on the cross and as semen of a thousand soldiers
ran down her legs, she died with forgiveness in her heart.
From: Governor Silva, Lucias Flavius
To: Commander, Legio X "Fretensis"
The Judean slaves finally finished the assault ramp.
Order the centurions to roust the legionnaires from each camp.
Give each of your legionnaires extra water and a double ration,
Then assemble the squares and set them in motion.
The last of the defenders are cowering behind the wall.
Well before nightfall, I should expect Masada fortress to fall.
Among Eleazar Ben Yair's Zealots are Sicarii assassins,
So ensure that each prisoner taken is searched for hidden weapons.
Capture as many as you can of them to be sold for slaves;
But toss all their dead off the cliffs--don't bother digging graves.
It may still be awhile before the Tenth Legions rotates back home;
When that day comes, I'm sure Vespasian will honor you all before Rome.
From Valhalla’s fortress of spears and shields,
Valkyrie riders make their daily runs…
Crossing Bifrost to Midgard’s battlefields,
Harvesting warriors till Ragnorak comes.
Flying from Valhalla on their war horses,
Thundering hooves beat like old battle drums,
Odin’s blond daughters watching the forces--
Harvesting warriors till Ragnorak comes.
Legionnaires, Pikemen, Hussars and Spartans;
Storm Troopers, Crusaders and Saracens;
Musketeers, Vikings, and Gladiators;
Watusi, Cossacks, and Conquistadors.
As long as men hear the sounds of war drums,
They’ll harvest the best till Ragnorak comes.
Valkyries search for those to stand vanguard,
Recruiting Odin’s Einherjar armies.
Warriors pass Valgrind to live in Asgard--
Honored to be served by the Valkyries.
Hoplites, Commandoes, and Mujahideens;
Samurais, Yeomen, and US Marines;
Guerrilas, Dragoons, and Panzer Tankers;
Grenadiers, Mamelukes, and Bezerkers.
As long as men hear the sounds of war drums,
Valkyries harvest till Ragnorak comes.
Roman Politics.
The coldness of the night merged seamlessly
with the coldness of daybreak.
A weak sun did nothing to raise temperatures
or spirits.
The Legionnaires leather coats creaked and cracked
as morning dew met forest mist.
At the edge of the giant forest they all stood,
lined out and disciplined.
Waiting.
Far across barren scrubland
taunting voices shouted abuse and threats.
Hidden deep in their own forest fortress,
sporadic German tongues were cursing
Rome.
The battle was about to begin.
The shouts turned to chants,
the chants to howling.
Weapons clattered sheilds,
the waiting was over.
Fire was primed and archers drew,
calvary waited in the wings.
Three words echoed down
the infantry.
"Strength and honour."
The uncouth hoards burst forth,
all the tribes united
as one.
Screaming out for murder.
The Legion stood, waited, disciplined.
Brought them on,
waited,
formed.
Unleashed hell.
One half day later
Rome could cheer.
A nice piece
of involvement
was again won
for the Senate.
The tribes were undone.
For now.
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