The dance of Qohelet

White phosphorus blinding us
spectacular glare
of well thought-out sophistication
shrapnel riding school buses with children
breaking daily routine
to build a new one
no need to wait for New Years’ eve
no need to wait for anything
we’ll French kiss now
break all the rules
spill champagne on fasting hordes
and they might even call us martyrs.

My wish is not a wish
my promise is not a promise
I don’t hope for what I know
for what I’ve seen
in crystal balls, on faded cards
for what happens light years ahead
as predicted by the stars
for what’s been said and rewritten
with the blood of slain prophets
infidel truths
insane delusions for which people were tortured
spat upon
choked in fumes or with cords
don’t run from the light
it was always meant to burn us.

The sun never really bothered rising
nor setting
nor moving at all
it’s been sitting there millennia
like an amused pensioner
at a poetry festival
roaringly laughing at our imbecility
drinking our water
over and over
forcing nations on their knees
sacrificing virgins
for the flood that wipes them out.

Cities become graveyards
cemeteries legitimate targets
musuems turned black markets
love traded on ebay needs upgrading
don’t change your profile yet
just let me stalk you a bit more
just let me like you
we get drunk on broadband nowadays
and we’re still laughing
glaciers will form on deserts
foxes will mate with seals
rain peshing on your side sinks your island
drought on my side leaves me scavenging
among rotting bones and angry scorpions
see how balanced it all is
how it always has been.

You know all this
you do
you will
you’ll finish that which scared us all
you’ll walk along the hidden paths
on maps drawn by old trees
cross the red lines of gullible goblins
redraw the paintings left unfinished
at your childhood home
you’ll play the harp again
entrance pretentious mobs
you’ll write up all the endings
and the middles
and the genesis of our insanity
you’ll laugh just like the sun
you’ll cry enough to flood the nations
you’ll see we were right
all along.

What needed saying has been said
don’t retell old truths and lies
as if they were yours
unless you’re ready
to break all the rules.