23:20
Papa Pariah (Original)
The many offenses he burned
Lay dead on his eardrums but learned
The regular rhythms in shame.
Pariahs here, only to blame.
He opened one eye to predict his demise
With tridents, he swallowed his callous disguise
To give with one eye what he gave to the world -
To open to their eyes to the weight of the world
A whisper of calm chilled him to the bone
The world had decided:
First lust, and then love
Preceded many things he described as “alone”
And as he stood on the watery steps
Leading up to his silvery throne
His heels were drenched in the sweat
Of everyone he had ever known
It kept his appetite wet
For pebbles turned to stone
And life was no longer a game of “have not”
But a tale of how much his castle had grown
He smiled and thought.
