Tuesday, August 21, 2012

From a CSL Letter to Malcolm, stuffed out by me


"Who killed Suburbia?"
"Pride" said Superbia.

"When is it really dead?"
"When charity has fled."
"Is there nothing they can do?"
"See that beggar walking through:
"If they will give a penny
 "And he can buy a beer,
"They can go off to Heaven
 "To the Enemy we fear."
We won't gaze on Superbia
 Or devils any more
But the beggar in Suburbia
 And his plight shall be our lore.
At eventide the Capital
 The toil and noise he left
To find a spot in smaller towns
 Where sleeping is no theft
Where friendly people give you food
Where calm the night, though bed be crude.
He got a ticket as a gift
And from his hour made some thrift
But once arrived he paid a tea
 Sun being up but getting low
Wishing his toothache would let be
 But dentists with him make it slow
Pining he loved still to see
Sunset's glow with each tree.

...

Came a girl, brown eyed, blonde
 Brought some food for his cheer
Handsome was she and pretty
Winsome her ways and witty
The belle of any city
 But lived in the town right here.
When o'er apple and cheese-bread
Beggar crossed himself, she said:
"How is a man who's begging
 "And sleeps on stony bed
"Still can believe a fairy story
"Starting wars, many and gory?"
"Now, are you sure," beggar said
"Sleeping on stony bed
"Hurts the faith of monkish creed?
"And who was who started
 "The wars indeed?"
"OK, the Irish have
"Been had badly" - "Yes they have."
"But how about just getting along?
"Doesn't warfare prove you wrong?"
"Now getting along is good indeed,
"Spoilt by ambition, spoilt by greed
"By resenting you spoil it
 "You spoil it by hate
"By the giving and asking
 "Of pardon too late,
"Betimes of law or creed the quarrel
"Living without won't end the war all,
"Commies try, look how they do
 "Rail at crusaders for massacres done
  "At Torquemada for forcing a creed
"And do it more than Catholics do
 "For more than by sword died by gun
  "By men who see men as weeds."

....

"I have to do my job
"As sure as I'm called Job."
The Janitor however took
A cup of tea ere he shook
Shoulder of the beggar sleeping.
"Guv'nor, no use to howl or of weeping
"But if you like a tear of tea
"With milk and sugar that can be."
Beggar truly did no weeping
Slowly waking up from sleeping.
"Now tea sounds good, it is a deal,
"I'll go when I have had this meal."
"No problem I have yet a quarter
"Of an hour before I really ought ter
"Be showing off to early leavers
  "A porch without a stranger here."
  "That is enough! But oh, what cheer:
 "Not all the Janitors so far
   "Have done so to me, only some.
"Enjoy the tea before you leave us.
 "And oh, some biscuits from this jar ..."
   He said because his wife had come
Precisely with the jar of biscuits.
"I know this ain't no beer and whiskey
"But in the morning this is better."
"Agreed." the beggar said and let her
Deal out the biscuits in his hand
 The one that did not hold the cup.

...

"Now who killed Suburbia?"
Said Christ to Superbia.
"And is she really dead?"
"If charity had fled ..."
"But has it now? The beggar
 "Is taking cheese and beer
"With bread after his kippers,
 "Enjoying it with cheer."
"But what about the snubs
 "The beggar had to bear?
"Yes what about them?
 "If you accuse I hear.
"Now read your papers ..." - The devil looked
 But all the ink was blotted out
 Superbia then gave a shout:
"You don't mean it's forgiven??"
"The beggar's even shriven.
"Begone foul Satan, hold thy peace!"
Now Superbia had to cease
His accusations on the town
Which the beggar loved without a frown.
He fled to Hell, the Queen of Heaven
Said "thank you Son, that he is shriven."

1 comment:

Hans Georg Lundahl said...

Afraid I might have been wrong about the setting for beginning and end:

Haydock Commentary for Job 1:6

Ver. 6. The sons of God. The angels, (Challoner) as the Septuagint express it. (Calmet) --- Satan also, &c. This passage represents to us in a figure, accommodated to the ways and understandings of men, 1. The restless endeavours of satan against the servants of God. 2. That he can do nothing without God's permission. 3. That God doth not permit him to tempt them above their strength: but assists them by his divine grace in such manner, that the vain efforts of the enemy only serve to illustrate their virtue and increase their merit. (Challoner) --- A similar prosopopeia occurs, 3 Kings xxii. 19., and Zacharias i. 10. (Calmet) --- Devils appear not in God's sight, but sometimes in presence of angels, who represent God. (St. Athanasius, q. 8. ad Antioc, (Worthington) or some ancient author.) --- The good angels can make known their orders to them, Zacharias iii. 1., and Jude 9. Both good and bad spirits may be considered as the ministers of God. (Calmet) --- They appear in judgment; though the latter could not see the Lord.