Where Have All The Rabbis Gone?

by Kevin E. Cleary

I yearn to
walk through the world unsullied
by greed and corruption.

I want to stroll through the Temple
and throw the Moneychangers
out on their ears.

I strive to call the Pharisees on their bullshit
as they would so cavalierly take their Lord's life
in vain,
and focus solely on his death.

They'd rather be exalted martyrs
than live a second of his life.
Whitewashed blood stains
their moral castles built on sand.

A Jesus fish is their backstage pass
to the Kingdom of Heaven,
so why not scorch the Earth?

They'll gladly fry an innocent
on an electric crucifix.
Blessed are the rich,
for they shall make the poor repent.

Do unto others
before they do unto you.

There's no one to admire anymore
when one's religion is bought and sold
in a Bible store where everyone's illiterate.

The words of today's prophets
misspelled in spray paint
on abandoned factory walls
make me want to take down the "sistim."

But God has given me no flaming swords
with which to lead;
aside from my vitriolic words
which I just wish were ploughshares.
And the only miracle I've seen
is that I've survived so long without loaves and fishes.