I Sat A Queen
by Seah Greenhorn
(Poem with copyright)
(Poem with copyright)
I
sat a queen
collectively
'we'
adorned in purple and silks red
not poly woven
or threaded
by willing/unwilling
members dreadfully scorned
their ensembles
humbled sackcloth and ashes
tattered
worn by laity
some tragically born
during centuries
of dark violent surrender.
Costly
yes, impressive
in our glorious dress of splendor
we did abide
in secreted hides
under carvings
of ornate gold.
No substance conveyed
as an opulent pretender.
Yes,
over the heads
of our self-imposed crowns
filled with jewels
desirable
to all hungry
of every gender
for whom
boldly we bought
from multi-merchants
who from far lands
sought
whatever our hearts
contrived to dream
so many could schmooze us
while we consorted
curiously curled
beneath duvets of feathers
titillated by sweet morsels
and once tender limbs
some squeamish
but other delighted
not to squirm
but to deliciously scream.
Ah, yes!
Protected,
we were by military teams
whose lives to their country
dutifully
they rendered
toting
artillery ammunition
in the fast
disappearing past
on two-wheeled
wooded
limbers.
I do remember:
I
sat a queen
collectively
'we'
deemed
to promote gaiety
wondrous
within realms of international
royalty
kings and princes
reigning
during variant
sovereignties
thunderous
while not perched on our heads
a crown of twisted thorns
by one mutilated
whose hands
professed multitudes
an uneducated
man of flesh
fed
his lips spoke
simple supposed
'truths'
about
ancient and future
stories
who
in useless
humility
read
about
some human forefathers
long dead
yet,
I
in theory
and all practiced tradition
led the world
straight ahead
although
it has been said
our teachings
'tickled the ears'
with patronizing
platitudes
instilling
crippling fears
causing
parents to offer
on nationalistic altars
offspring
who sadly bled
for greedy demons
thirsty for power,
money and blood
laughing and cruel.
Young adult children
taken
driven and schooled
yet,
in death or insanity
no honor for them
really served.
But really
didn't we give them
what they deserved?
Parades and accolades
metals and plots
and days of remembrance
for them
annually reserved?
Wickedness
is with the heathen one
food
for all of their brood
where war internal is there bred
and propaganda is the topping
worldwide being spread?
Why then this sudden display
to forcefully dismount us
from our religious throne?
And why
did the many
wait for this day
to our utter
death
in eternity lay?
Who gave this king
these very sharp teeth
to rip us to ribbons
to flutter in agony
and flail in defeat?
Why say
in a God-appointed hour
our systems were breached
when heard the cry:
"Get out of her my people!"
A international throng did preach.
'Be afraid to remain inside her gates
for surely you will die.'
They exposed to all
what we didn't call lies.
And why did the U.N.
sneakily conspire
then as one
powerfully
in unity
divinely act:
Our crown
to eternally
retire
when we operated
as one
contracted
in pact?
No more will we be able to interact
with kings
and commerce.
To riches aspire.
I
no longer
sit a queen
with a territory
vast or not
to bequeath.
*
The smoke
from her fire
ascends
as incense
to the heavens
to the One
whose name
she did not utter
in righteous defense.
In shame her actions
did her proclaim:
Harlot...Babylon the Great.
Killer of the prophets and holy ones
and all of those who have been slaughtered on the earth
her sad claim to destructive fame.
sat a queen
collectively
'we'
adorned in purple and silks red
not poly woven
or threaded
by willing/unwilling
members dreadfully scorned
their ensembles
humbled sackcloth and ashes
tattered
worn by laity
some tragically born
during centuries
of dark violent surrender.
Costly
yes, impressive
in our glorious dress of splendor
we did abide
in secreted hides
under carvings
of ornate gold.
No substance conveyed
as an opulent pretender.
Yes,
over the heads
of our self-imposed crowns
filled with jewels
desirable
to all hungry
of every gender
for whom
boldly we bought
from multi-merchants
who from far lands
sought
whatever our hearts
contrived to dream
so many could schmooze us
while we consorted
curiously curled
beneath duvets of feathers
titillated by sweet morsels
and once tender limbs
some squeamish
but other delighted
not to squirm
but to deliciously scream.
Ah, yes!
Protected,
we were by military teams
whose lives to their country
dutifully
they rendered
toting
artillery ammunition
in the fast
disappearing past
on two-wheeled
wooded
limbers.
I do remember:
I
sat a queen
collectively
'we'
deemed
to promote gaiety
wondrous
within realms of international
royalty
kings and princes
reigning
during variant
sovereignties
thunderous
while not perched on our heads
a crown of twisted thorns
by one mutilated
whose hands
professed multitudes
an uneducated
man of flesh
fed
his lips spoke
simple supposed
'truths'
about
ancient and future
stories
who
in useless
humility
read
about
some human forefathers
long dead
yet,
I
in theory
and all practiced tradition
led the world
straight ahead
although
it has been said
our teachings
'tickled the ears'
with patronizing
platitudes
instilling
crippling fears
causing
parents to offer
on nationalistic altars
offspring
who sadly bled
for greedy demons
thirsty for power,
money and blood
laughing and cruel.
Young adult children
taken
driven and schooled
yet,
in death or insanity
no honor for them
really served.
But really
didn't we give them
what they deserved?
Parades and accolades
metals and plots
and days of remembrance
for them
annually reserved?
Wickedness
is with the heathen one
food
for all of their brood
where war internal is there bred
and propaganda is the topping
worldwide being spread?
Why then this sudden display
to forcefully dismount us
from our religious throne?
And why
did the many
wait for this day
to our utter
death
in eternity lay?
Who gave this king
these very sharp teeth
to rip us to ribbons
to flutter in agony
and flail in defeat?
Why say
in a God-appointed hour
our systems were breached
when heard the cry:
"Get out of her my people!"
A international throng did preach.
'Be afraid to remain inside her gates
for surely you will die.'
They exposed to all
what we didn't call lies.
And why did the U.N.
sneakily conspire
then as one
powerfully
in unity
divinely act:
Our crown
to eternally
retire
when we operated
as one
contracted
in pact?
No more will we be able to interact
with kings
and commerce.
To riches aspire.
I
no longer
sit a queen
with a territory
vast or not
to bequeath.
*
The smoke
from her fire
ascends
as incense
to the heavens
to the One
whose name
she did not utter
in righteous defense.
In shame her actions
did her proclaim:
Harlot...Babylon the Great.
Killer of the prophets and holy ones
and all of those who have been slaughtered on the earth
her sad claim to destructive fame.
Inspired by: Suzanne Vega's The Queen and the Soldier
also:
"After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory.
And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks!
For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”
And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.
For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.
Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her.
To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’
That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.
“And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning.
They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’
“Also, the merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full cargo anymore, a full cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; and everything made from scented wood; and every sort of object made from ivory, and from precious wood, copper, iron, and marble; also cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, and human lives.
Yes, the fine fruit that you desired has left you, and all the delicacies and the splendid things have vanished from you, never to be found again.
“The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls,
because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’
“And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’
They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’
“Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced his judgment on her in your behalf!”
And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again.
And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp, of musicians, of flutists, and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again. And no craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again.
No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled.
Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Revelation chapter 18
also:
"After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory.
And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks!
For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”
And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.
For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.
Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her.
To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’
That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.
“And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning.
They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’
“Also, the merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full cargo anymore, a full cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; and everything made from scented wood; and every sort of object made from ivory, and from precious wood, copper, iron, and marble; also cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, and human lives.
Yes, the fine fruit that you desired has left you, and all the delicacies and the splendid things have vanished from you, never to be found again.
“The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls,
because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’
“And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’
They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’
“Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced his judgment on her in your behalf!”
And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again.
And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp, of musicians, of flutists, and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again. And no craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again.
No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled.
Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Revelation chapter 18
