O citadel once great!
Magnificient, you
stood glorious
Heaven’s birds on you
perched
As they sing to your
maker.
O temple once fair!
As His hands did you
make
The creator’s with
much care
For He, in you, shall
dwell.
O house once hallowed
From the abundance of
the ONE!
How you’ve been
shadowed
By the cloud of your
wrongs/ own doings.
Once made from the
earth
Then despised and
trampled upon
Now marred to death
Any hope like the
risen one’s?
Through your windows
unrestrained
Came flying the
vultures
Foul dungs down they
rained
In the dwelling of
your maker
Your ambo speaks
Not in praise of Him
But with certain
insolence
Some blasphemy and
sacrilege.
Never free, your
sanctuary
From dead bones and
carcass
And your altar a
mortuary
For all who worship
in you.
Once great, fair and
hallowed
O man, wonder of
creation!
Then nought, rotten
and profaned
Your body, God’s
temple.
For more, the flesh
craves
The eye, for lust
acquiesces
The heart, for
shadows yearns
The tongue, like
fire, blazes
Your maker, deprived,
waits
The vultures, from
you, drive
Clean up! Open your
gates
In His abode, may He
enter
Then shall your ambo
sing
In praise and joy
And once more be pure
And not again
profaned.
...Austyn Chimbu...
