With god on our side
we don’t need a conscience.
The others are ripe for burning
and burn them we will, the smoke
of their flesh rising to heaven,
an acceptable sacrifice.
With god on our side
there is no grey, no shading
only glaring gorgeous white
blinding with purity: beyond
just blackness that could darken,
smudge our bright raiment of zeal.
With god on our side
hesitation is blame, thinking
weakens the will, compromise
is for traitors. Onward
fundamentalist soldiers marching
over sinners who disagree.
Armageddon is nigh, bring it on!
Whoever is not with us is dirty.
We alone deserve. Death to
infidels, heretics and bad women.
What happens when armies collide
each sure god’s on their side?
© Marge Piercy, 2005
Marge Piercy‘s latest novel is The Third Child. Her sixteenth book of poetry, Colors Passing Through Us, was published by Knopf in the spring. Leapfrog Books has released a CD of her political poems, Louder, I Can’t Hear You Yet, available online at <www.leapfrogpress.com>