I learned today that the American Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. does not contain Arabic versions of the Bible (thank goodness for scholarship!). This was a real disappointment to me, for the image of Christ and his martyrdom is a powerful one for Arab Christians and Muslims alike. On the other side of the world, in my ancestral homeland Iraq, a statue of the virgin Mary was removed from a public square in Basra, as it was considered a liability for causing tension between people.
I wrote this poem earlier this summer, I hope it channels some of the love, pain, and devotion that Christ demonstrated and demanded for God and humanity. Here is my performance of the poem in two parts.
I love you so much
I love you so much
I feel nothing now but then i remember
the ache
it confuses me
i want it so much
the shame of your gaze
your love leaves a bruise
a stain blotted on my heart
all I want is you
to tame me with your calm touch
to press generous lips
on wet skin. i melt
in white linen
wicked gentleman
or gemini twin:
i won’t question
ill let you win.
dark emperor –
it’s your right
neptunian king
your knight
my god
i won’t say a word
i’ll bleed deep crimson
you’ll slake from my tears
and i won’t make a sound
i can’t hardly move…
i can’t feel the ground…
August 19, 2017 14:55 Harlem
