Written by: Elder Mark Makabi
POETIC EXCERPT
BITTER HERBS!
Blow
the trumpets in the new moon,
Sing
in the spring time for life’s song,
Swing
into spring, let’s celebrate,
Spring
in the New Year, let’s cultivate,
Remember
the past over the pass,
Remember
to pass over the task,
And eat those bitter herbs,
Own
the confession,
Circumcise
the heart,
Taste
the affliction,
Past
to pass,
Prepare
the unleavened bread,
Water
the soul,
Lamb
the meat,
Pray
to the east,
And
drink those bitter herbs,
Slaves,
own your cotton,
Slaves,
own your terms of endearment,
Slaves,
own your jazz, hip-hop, rock and roll,
Slaves,
own your calypso, reggae, gospel and your soul,
Slaves
own your captivity,
Slaves,
own your Biblical identity,
And
eat those bitter herbs,
Sodom
and Gomorrah, own your fire,
Egypt,
own your plagues,
Babylon,
own the handwriting wall,
Rome,
own your burning fall,
America,
own your racist reprisal,
Israelites,
own your Bible,
Ishmael,
own your fatal seal for your slave trading zeal,
Edom,
own your hell Obadiah revealed,
And
drink those bitter herbs,
Goldenseal,
wormwood,
horehound,
and
yarrow,
Cleanliness
ensues the straight and narrow,
Own
the confession,
Circumcise the heart,
Taste
the affliction,
Past
to pass,
Prepare
the unleavened bread,
Lamb
the meat,
Pray
to the east,
And eat those bitter herbs…
