Bah Humbug (Matthew 3)

I MUST BE HAVING AN OLD TESTAMENT MOMENT

I WAS GOING TO SAY

I DON’T WANT YOUR FESTIVE CHOIRS

OR TRIUMPHANT BRASS

OR ANY OTHER SIGNS OF CELEBRATION

I CAME TO BRING PEACE

THERE IS NO PEACE

TO BRING LOVE

IT’S IN SHORT SUPPLY

TO BRING JUSTICE

IT’S FOR SALE

TO REMOVE POVERTY

WE CAN’T AFFORD IT

EVEN MY CRIB

IN A MANGER

IS BETTER THAN MANY

MY MOTHER’S BREAST FLOWS

OTHER MOTHER’S BREAST ARE DRY

HEROD’S MEN ARE BUSY SLAYING BABIES

WOULD THAT THE WORLD

WOULD THROW UP

IN AN ACT OF REVULSION

ALL THE EVIL AND BILE

ALL THE DEEP ENTRENCHED HATRED

ALL THE ME FIRST ATTITUDE

ALL THAT CHAINS THEM

TO OLD HABITS

DO THEY NEED A SILENT NIGHT

OR ACTIVITY

TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING

THAT THEY REMAIN CONSCIOUS

OF THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE

THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE

MOST OLD TESTAMENT HARANGUES

END HAPPILY

WITH A PROMISE OF A NEW JERUSALEM

SO I’M ENOUGH OF A BIRTHDAY BOY

TO HOPE THAT THE CHOIR

AND THE BRASS

SOUND WELL

FRANK A VOLLMER