Refugees From Civil Wars

Refugees From Civil Wars
© Surazeus
2023 12 30

They trudge across bleak desert of despair, 
thousands of refugees from civil wars, 
who flee away from mountain jungle towns 
where gangs of thieves demand they pay or die, 
to crowd before walls to the Promised Land 
where the blind prophet speaks words of the snake. 

Alone on mountain of the singing skull 
their leader stands before the burning bush 
and asks for guidance to the Promised Land, 
but no god answers from the writhing flames 
so he returns without tablets of law, 
eager to storm high walls of paradise. 

Horn of the locomotive cries with hope 
across the waste land of the doorless house 
to guide lost refugees from civil wars 
across the nowhere land of singing sands 
to wait before locked gates of paradise 
for golden tickets to the Promised Land. 

Unspeakable light of the desert sands 
calls to me with voice of the faceless ghost, 
so I stand mute in door of my safe home 
to watch wind flutter leaves in ancient oaks 
while millions of people around the world 
wander signless roads to the Promised Land. 

Though naked inner soul of my sad heart 
refuses to pray to deaf god of justice 
to grant salvation to lost refugees 
who flee civil wars between gangs of thieves, 
I welcome them to fertile Promised Land 
where my ancestors came for Liberty. 

When dead words rattle in the smoking guns 
in hands of frightened men who fight to live, 
their children wake from nightmare of the bombs 
to play in rubble of the Promised Land 
destroyed by tanks with angels of the Lord 
who dance on graves that no one knows about. 

Gathered before locked gates of paradise, 
where angels with flaming swords of contempt 
deny them entry to the Promised Land, 
thousands of refugees from civil wars 
sing holy hymns to celebrate the birth 
of our messiah sleuth beneath the star. 

When I hitchhike across America 
to play guitar and sing as cosmic herald, 
I see wild spirit of Liberty glow 
in eyes of refugees from civil wars 
who crash golden gates to the Promised Land 
where angels plan to exploit them for wealth.