An Empty Ballad

The people of Israel ate wormwood of disappointment 
and drank spoiled vinegar for 
an ancient hour and twenty abysses, 
but out of the depths of cruddled chaos
rose their king;
he drove out the pagans
with no more than a shrug,
he stood alone as their glorious warrior,
he ate gravel and defecated marble,
he prophesied about one god and
spoke of olive-green pastures and
golden fields of plenty,
he hurled thunder with one fingertip 
and cleaved iron with one fist, 
he left salt and scalded ruin, 
he was the lasting vendor of hope,
he alone rectified one kingdom,
but, out of meager sin and greed
arose the mighty devil, 
who also spoke with eloquence
and elucidation and played the harp
so well he led and marched the people
out of Israel into the bewilderment 
of despotic centuries, 
all the way to hell.

- John Hardesty