Thursday after Passion Sunday

Thursday after Passion Sunday

Like Marx standing Hegel on his head
in the greatest show on earth
passages of Scripture
balance before the taskmasters of prejudice
displaying their many talents
crowd-pleasers all of them
they are paraded ‘round the ring
following the tail-end of prior arguments.

To wit:
“Whoever does not want to work
is not allowed to eat,” writes Paul
to the Church at Thessalonia
and continues
justifying his stance:
“We say this because we hear
that there are some people among you
who live lazy lives
who do nothing
except meddle in other people’s business.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
we command these people and warn them
they must lead orderly lives
and work to earn their own living.”

This poor beast of burden bible quote
has been carrying the load of free enterprise capitalism
for centuries too long
walked across the water with Captain John he did
clothed in the puritan ethic
and browsed once at the first Thanksgiving feast
sent stampeding wildly through welfare lines he was
trampling on the poor and crippled
children and aged—
what we were and will be the bane of life’s entrepreneurs.

But he will work as well
for those who suffer under the scourge of life’s lot
the poor
who have always borne the burden
that the rich are
who do not work
who live lazy lives
who do nothing
except meddle in other people’s business
for whom we must slave’by paying high taxes
high utility rates
exorbitant rents
the rich are more of a burden
than the poor.