Saul

The pounding drums of war through righteous slaughter beat

With raining fire decry Amalekite defeat.

Iron-clad, the Lord’s men march’d under Martian sky,

And shortly left the field where gentile masses lie.

 

The burnt and violated flesh of innocents

Gave smoke, censer’s gift for raging God’s appeasement,

And all that remain’d: Foe’s much broken king and sheep

For Yahweh’s troops let not woman nor child escape.

 

Upon triumphant return, though, wrath from the prophet’s mouth

To Saul befell for leaving life, in an order doubt.

This mercy made the faithful man be seen as flawed

And torn like cloth from favor with a vengeful God.

 

Thus, high on Mount Gilboa, the enemy force

Like flame smote those being refused divine recourse,

And Saul was forsaken by his furious Lord

To watch his sons be slain and fall upon his sword.

 

And following mighty Philistine victory

A new king comes to end merciful heresy

And lead the chosen people to a violent summit:

A lyre-stroking, slim, murderous, shepherd-puppet.

***

(Cuenca, Ecuador -- October, 2017)

This poem, an experiment with metered verse, depicts the story of Saul, who lost favor with God after refusing to murder a bunch of people. For revenge, God had Saul deposed and put David in change. This poem was inspired heavily by poems like "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron. I'm neither religious nor a theologian, so take this poem and explanation with a grain of salt.