LOST In Translation 

by Arnie Hummasti

Many faithful of old heard and followed the carpenter’s creed:
Called to love one another and shelter and feed those in need.
But our time’s out of joint and the Gospel’s been turned outside in.
The profane is now glorified; all that was sacred’s now sin. 
Flocks of pious disciples today have annulled the divine. 
They’ve embraced a new covenant, hence to obey and enshrine. 

Their self-righteous messiah descended on grand golden stairs
To deliver amended beatitudes, pledges and prayers. 
You shall do unto others before they can do it to you. 
Hate your neighbor. He’s different. That long-standing friendship’s now 
through. 

Turn away all those strangers. They’re menacing. Don’t take them in.
Keep your weapons of war handy. Killing’s no longer a sin. 
Have no care for the masses there huddled at your golden door.
Give no hand to the least of them. Though you have plenty, take more.
Build up walls ‘gainst the tired and poor for you have what they lack.
Yes, they yearn to breathe free just like you, but they’re brown and they’re 
black. 

So just put them in cages and separate mother from child. 
They are lesser than you, to be vilified, scorned and reviled. 

Worship wealth. Greed is good. He who dies with the most moola wins.
So just grab all you can. You may lie, cheat or steal. They’re not sins.
The new creed is permissive. Unfaithfulness isn’t a shame. 
Be promiscuous. Follow the Leader’s the name of the game. 

If you’re struck on the cheek, strike ‘em back, but with twice as much might.
Might makes right. Be a bully. Taunt peacemakers. Goad them to fight.
For the meek shall inherit the dregs. They’re just candy-assed wimps.
The vain warmonger swaggers with bombast; the pacifist limps.

You see, war is now peace and vile lies are now truth. Let’s come clean.
Their Big Brother spews newspeak. Their clocks are all striking thirteen.
He claims freedom is slavery; ignorance, strength; fronts are backs.
And his followers mindlessly swallow alternative facts. 

True believers surrender their values and common good sense
To a modern-day Machiavelli with selfish intents. 

They were warned of false prophets, of wolves in disguise fleecing sheep.
But they ditched love for hate and disowned “What one sows, one shall reap.”
He told them forthrightly that he was a snake with thin skin.
And he sniggered at prey for so gullibly taking him in. 

If they’d pull back the curtain, they’d see that their wizard’s a fraud;
A nude emperor selling his snake oil, proclaiming he’s god. 
And the converts who worship this con man (all blindly fleeced)
Fancy fantasy promise lands, promised by fantasy priest. 

Their malign, sanctimonious “savior” extols his cruel creed.
He’s reopened Pandora’s dread box and its curses he’s freed.
His apostles embrace the vile venom disgorged by their snake,
And a graveyard of virtues is ruthlessly left in the wake. 

On the tombstones, the names of the fallen in this hallowed place:
Here lie mercy, civility, charity, fairness and grace. 

Can the dazed and misguided be freed from that mesmeric trance?
From that murky, dense fog of delusion? Perhaps there’s a chance.
For one lone thing remains in Pandora’s black box: it’s a rope.
So let’s pray for his prey now and pull out this lifeline called “hope.”