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Title: A Song Of The Sects
Author: Cale Young Rice [
More Titles by Rice]
(In a Jerusalem tavern)
A Latin and Greek, praise God, are we, Armenian and Copt,
And we're all drunk as drunk can be, for we've together sopped.
Not one of us but spits at the creed the others mouth and purr,
But we all believe, we all believe, in the Holy Sepulchre!
The Armenian sings
The Copt comes out of Egypt-land and with a braggart face
He'll tell you that his fathers piled the Pyramids in place.
In his Monophysite Christ we set no faith, the blasphemer!
But we all believe, we all believe, in the Holy Sepulchre!
The Latin sings
The Greek will curse you if you call his Ikons images,
And damns your soul to Hell--no purgatory, if you please!
About Procession of the Ghost he's prickly as a burr,
But he believes, as we all believe, in the Holy Sepulchre!
The Copt sings
Of heretics God leaves unburnt, Armenians are worst,
They will not celebrate the Day, that was for Christ the first.
No wine with water mixed for them, as well mix heathen myrrh--
Or not believe, as we all believe, in the Holy Sepulchre!
The Greek sings
The Latin swears his Roman Pope is judge infallible.
Wherefore you may be very sure the Devil from his skull
Will drink a toast unto all liars, who such a lie aver--
Tho they believe, as we all believe, in the Holy Sepulchre!
The Four again
A Latin and Greek, praise God, are we, Armenian and Copt,
And we're all drunk as drunk can be, for we've together sopped.
Not one of us but hankers to hang all Jews on a Juniper,
For we all believe, we all believe, in the Holy Sepulchre!
[The end]
Cale Young Rice's poem: Song Of The Sects
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