Canto
VIII
Gangster
Gospel
Canto VIII
Petrus Romanus
Them Other Land
the continent of
africa was used and abused by the ones
who .... always refused to give the black
man his dues ... his country colonized .... his
children bastardized and yet, we never really
realized just how much .... his music was plagiarized
.... black widow, motherless child .... steal way my
soul from ole man coal .... prison stripes striking pikes
on a railroad chain gang .... men emasculated in Maricopa
forced to wear pink underwear that remains
on their soul ... long after they're
paroled .... "that's the sound of the
man working on the chain gang"
deathrow conversion ....
countin' tha hours .... eating
my last supper, prayin' for
the gov'ner to grant me a now
stay but because he's a I get to
christian, they ain't die for
no f*cking way him
.... deathrow
conversion
....
Quasi-Land
Buried beneath the Saharan sand
Is the little-known country of Quasi-land
Their residents are often quite easy to spot
They're neither very cold, nor are they all that hot
They make no commitments one way or the other
One almost did, but then he just couldn't bother
They all act excited when everyone's there
But when the time comes to act, they really don't care
They have such an acute case of spiritual malaise
That they may as well be called Malaisians, you might say
Or perhaps Hunger-ians since their god is their belly
I guess you can't afford guts when your backbone is jelly!
One foot in the water, one foot in the sand
Such are the residents of the township of Quasi-land
Epistle to the Black Churches
The following email was sent to the President of the National Baptist Church and a Bishop in the AME Church on September 21, 2008:
Psalm 105 prophesies that Joseph, a slave, would one day be "loosed" and become a senator in Egypt. I believe this is an overt prophecy of Barack's candidacy. It even says that he will "bind [the] princes" of Egypt (Bush 43 and Jeb) and that he would become "lord of his house." Also, Barack's running mate is named "Joseph":
Ps 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
Ps 105:18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
Ps 105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.
Ps 105:20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
Ps 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
Ps 105:22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
I think it's apparent that God is on the side of Barack. Weeks prior to his acceptance speech in Denver, the rightwing group "Focus on the Family" encouraged its followers to pray for "umbrella-ain't-gonna'-help-you rain" in the hopes that God would intervene in this election on behalf of the Republicans. Instead, God sent a hurricane to interrupt the Republican National Convention and remind everyone of Katrina. The title of Jerome Corsi's book "The Obama Nation" is an oblique reference to the Abomination of Desolation prophesied in the Book of Daniel and a transparent attempt to play into White Evangelical fears. As an Evangelical Born-again Christian, I am appalled at the way in which God's Name has been cynically evoked by the Right in this election. The Republicans clearly believe that the gospel is just another weapon in their war-without-end-amen.
The basic strategy of the Republican Party is to use gays and abortion as a means of moral extortion in order to get Christians to vote against their own interests. They have roped us into believing that legalization is a form of endorsement. If that's true, then God endorses our sin because he gave us the ability to commit it. So are we more righteous than God? And if God made us free from his law through faith, then why do we use these same legalities to oppress others who are our enemies for the sake of the gospel? Are we lesser sinners than them?
The Wild Horseman
In the darkness of the night
Underneath the pale moonlight
Where the horseman struts and trots
With his steed of speckled white
Dressed like Mary, Queen of Scotts
In a coat of yellow bright
When I asked her, "Why yellow?"
Thus replied her tortured soul
"'Twas because of this fellow
Dressed in yellow made me whole!"
Now I wear her yellow coat
As these verses that she wrote
Now the ones I also write
Promised Land
(based on the words of Dr. Martin Luther King)
V1: I have a dream that ev'ry man
May one day see the promis'd land.
A symphony of brotherhood,
Of liberty and common good.
Ch: How long shall it be 'til all men are free
Of his'try's shameful legacy?
If we can believe the time is at hand,
The God of Life will heal our land!
V2: I am not fearing any man;
A house divided cannot stand.
Our happy day has come to pass;
Thank God almighty; free at last!
V3: Our work revive; our faith renew;
Let freedom ring and justice prove.
A nation whose God is the LORD
Will seldom need to use its sword.
___
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
(Dr. Martin Luthar King, Jr.)
The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee; The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
(Isaiah 60:14)
Missions Impossible
Protestant Evangelicals go on expensive mission trips
in order to teach foreigners Sola Scriptura.
If Sola Scriptura is true,
then why not just mass mail them copies of the Bible?
(or maybe you're afraid they'll actually read it
and become Catholics).
In Jamaica, Anglicanism is more than a religion,
it is our cultural heritage.
Our parishes are named after Anglican saints;
Our businesses close on the Sabbath
and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday.
Why is it that every delinquent denomination
feels morally obligated to fracture our society
and sectarianize our culture?
Didn't they notice that we're already Christians?
Abortion and buggery are legal offences here.
Bible education is compulsory in our public schools.
Our national anthem begins with phrase:
"Eternal Father, Bless our Land."
We should be the ones sending you missionaries!
But instead, we find ourselves being recolonized
by Successionists, Cessationists
and every other salacious sect!
Our unity has been eroded
by every crackpot zealot and moral mogul
(each with their own exclusionary brand
of religious letigiousness),
and yet so concerned they are with 'increasing their flock'
(or perhaps 'in fleecing their flock'!)
that they've made a mockery of God instead!
And yet, haven't we learned by now
that religious and cultural incohesion
is the first step to moral relativity?
No wonder secular humanists point to the Reformation
as a pivotal moment in the history of so-called 'human liberation'.
Catholicism puts Church before self;
Protestantism puts self before Church.
Catholicism sees personal wealth as evidence of greed;
Protestantism sees personal wealth as evidence of grace.
Catholicism sees ill-health
as an opportunity to become more Christ-like;
Protestantism sees ill-health as an attack from the devil.
Catholicism is known for its charity.
Protestantism is known for its industry.
And what has the so-called 'Protestant work ethic' gotten us?
A nation as morally bankrupt
as our national treasury is depleted?
A nation as culturally hedonistic
as we are militarily hegemonic?
A nation as divided at home
as we are derided abroad?
What would our founding fathers think?
Patriots: All men are created equal!
Progeny: All men are morally relative.
Patriots: We are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights!
Progeny: We are endowed by the Legislature with civil liberties.
Patriots: Among these are the right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Progeny: Among these are the right to die, the right to choose
and the right to legally redefine happiness.
While we're at it, why don't we just move the 4th of July to April 1st!
When Amerik.k.k.a has its own house in order,
then let them all come over here and proselytize us.
Otherwise, religious imperialists, go home!!!
(Matt 7:5) Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
By What Death
(based on John 21:19, to be sung to the tune of Old 100th)
Our days are nearly ending now
With terror standing at our feet
And as we lay in bed, we vow
"I pray thee now my soul to keep"
For lest it die, it cannot grow
And lest it grow, we shall not reap
And yet this death, we cannot know
But for our faithful paraclete
Amen.
Pray-cation
Jamaica is internationally recognized for its golf courses, white-sand beaches, musical heritage and exceptional hospitality. But while many visitors to our island prefer to bask in the sun, sand and surf, others see their vacations as opportunities to minister to the gospel. Many tourists living abroad belong to congregations that have sister churches here. Others come to establish new churches or engage in charitable activities. Today, Christianity has a prominent role in Jamaican cultural and political life. If you are seeking a different tourist experience, one that ventures beyond the conspicuous meccas of the all-inclusive enclave, then I would certainly recommend a visit to any one of our great and historic local parish churches.
In the town of Falmouth, the Trelawny Parish Church of St. Peter the Apostle stands as a living monument to the supremacy of Anglicanism in Jamaican culture. Its stone masonry portrays the understated grandeur of Georgian architecture while rendering a striking allusion to the rock on which our LORD's Church was built. Its arched wooden doorway first welcomed celebrants decades before the abolition of slavery and was a part of the original town charter officially authorized, recognized and patronized by the government of Jamaica and its Monarch.
Today, St. Peter's is known for its majestic clock tower, which also serves as a belfry and while the clock only gives the correct time twice daily, the soft pealing of its old iron bell can often be heard on Sunday mornings, beckoning the entire community to worship.
The gravestones of St. Peter's record both the names and lifespans of more than a few dignitaries and luminaries dating back to the colonial era. A substantial number of child graves testify to the untimeliness of death in a world without vaccination. Once, these memorials were decorated with flowers and lamented by devotees, but nowadays, they serve as ever-present sentinels, warning all trespassers of the fate that awaits them should they stray from the narrow path.
St. Peter's boasts one of the oldest working pipe organs in the Caribbean. Early in the 20th century, an electrical motor was added to its bellows eliminating the need for a human blower. Beyond this, however, there is no electrical alteration or amplification of the organ sound. It's large brass pipes, which tower above the congregation, resonate with the vibrant harmonies and embellished descants commensurate with the mostly self-taught musicians who grace its console. The choir too does not read music, but instead memorizes every melody while following along in the words-only edition of the Anglican hymnal.
It is a cultural tradition in Jamaica for men to wear suits and ties and for the women to wear long dresses, hats and even gloves on a Sunday morning service despite the searing heat and lack of air-conditioning. Some poorer Jamaicans use this tacit dress code as impetus to shirk their spiritual duty, though many others are welcomed into the congregation in t-shirts and tennis shoes.
It is not a rare occurrence to see foreigners in attendance at the Sunday morning service. Many are family members of congregants and other Jamaican ex-patriots (like myself) but a few are Anglican and Episcopalian tourists who don't want to miss church while on their vacations. These tourists are blessed with interesting and memorable vignettes into traditional Jamaican life and culture as well as by the ministry of the Sacrament and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Sandals, Half Moon, and the Ritz Carlton are three prestigious resorts that can arrange bus tours to the historic town of Falmouth and transport guests to and from St. Peter's. Doubtless your concierge would be more than happy to assist you in learning more about Jamaica's great churches and island culture. Until then, I wish you all the best and, as we say here in Jamaica, Likkle more!
Jamaica Queens
Love, It wasn't meant to be
Underneath the ackee tree.
But if I could spend tonight
On an Air Jamaica flight,
I would fly right to your side;
In your arms, I would reside!
Now I sing my soul to thee,
Idol carved of ebony,
Staring at the ceiling fan
(Acting like a married man)
How was I not meant to see,
Love that wasn't meant to be?
Miami (Mi amiga)
Balmy breezes, sultry heat;
Sand-caked toes on sea-swept reef;
Sun-bleached pela, swaying hips;
Beads of sweat on tender lips;
Tall y flaca, dark morena;
Lanky thighs y sweet mamayas;
Sailing en uncharted aguas,
Dreaming of enchanted islas;
¿Dime, cual es libertad?
¡Dama, cual es libertando!
Navigation
LORD JESUS CHRIST,SON OF THE FATHER,SEND NOW YOUR SPIRIT OVER THE EARTH.LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVEIN THE HEARTS OF ALL NATIONS,THAT THEY MAY BE PRESERVEDFROM DEGENERATION, DISASTER AND WAR.MAY THE LADY OF ALL NATIONS,WHO ONCE WAS MARY,BE OUR ADVOCATE.AMEN.
LORD JESUS CHRIST,
SON OF THE FATHER,
SEND NOW YOUR SPIRIT OVER THE EARTH.
LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVE
IN THE HEARTS OF ALL NATIONS,
THAT THEY MAY BE PRESERVED
FROM DEGENERATION, DISASTER AND WAR.
MAY THE LADY OF ALL NATIONS,
WHO ONCE WAS MARY,
BE OUR ADVOCATE.
AMEN.
