Saturday, November 13, 2010

Poem: Leviticus

I'm trying to get together an Advent poetry series like the one we did for Holy Week. While looking for those, I came across this one.

Leviticus

Take care ye people of what you eat
Of fowl animals which bring defeat
The carcasses of an unclean soul
Shall rain diseases Leviticus has told,

Eat only the food that brings long life
The herbs and vegetables prevent strife
Avoid those shallow creeping things
Like vultures, owls, and those birds with wings,

Remember Nadab and Abihu
The sons of Aaron and what they miscue
Moderation is a key to being blessed
Never consume too much in excess.

by Willworth Wellington

3 comments:

  1. Leviticus (a modern poem, after VH)

    When papists forbid certain foods on the grounds of Leviticus eleven,
    It is childish rubbish,
    When they tie it to certain times and days,
    It is trickery they themselves don't keep at heart,
    When they make a Gottesdienst of it,
    And add a merit to it
    It is idolatry, a teaching of demons.

    The kingdom of God isn't eating and drinking;
    You won't
    Eat your way into heaven, even if you eat
    Nothing but cabbage, beets, and herring
    For the rest of your life.
    Everything
    On sale in the market may be gobbled
    With a clean conscience.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wellington revised (yeah, I know there is an extra line)

    Remember Nadab and Abihu
    The sons of Aaron and what they miscue
    Holiness is the key to being blessed
    Yet not ours but fulfilled in Christ's
    Is where Leviticus points our rest.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A Wellington rejoinder:

    This little piggy went to market . . .

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated. Neither spam, vulgarity, comments that are insulting, slanderous or otherwise unbefitting of Christian dignity nor anonymous posts will be published.