2006 poem I'd long forgotten about...

Proper Hatreds, Lesser Loves

Lesser loves and proper hatreds
hail us from the sacred page,
radiating, from the Holy,
on His scroll with secret whisper,
rays of passion, beams of rage;

Children of the adversary
hate alike the flaming truth,
and the fiery fists that clutched it
with a glory they can’t fathom,
since the years of Satan's youth.

Choking on the smoke of molten
metal -- chains of after-death,
hearts that waste in rebel wonder
in vile joy still choose to challenge
realms above, from realms beneath.

Loving whom he should have hated,
trading paradise for pain,
men their freedom blindly bartered;
Eve-deceived and Adam-slaughtered,
Abel paid the price for Cain. . .

Mankind’s hatred missed the target,
shedding blood six oceans deep;
shame-filled lives are not worth living!
Who can counteract such carnage--
surely no slain race of sheep?

Noah left respect for laughter. . .
Abraham’s faith risked a son. . .
Jacob fought and dreamt of angels. . .
Joseph traded dreams for slavery. . .
Moses, royal rights for none. . .

Then, a suffering Rabbi taught us
how to love and whom to hate:
“Come back to the patient Father!
Sin and self forsake forever!
Kiss the Son, for time is late!"

Turn and in His pow’r resist
the undertow from "things above";
heaven waits and hell is burning.
In the light of Scripture, learn
each proper hatred, lesser love.


MNA 2006