WRITTEN IN THE DUST     2-2-10 (BELSHAZZAR’S PARTY) by Hollis Caravetta

WHO CAN READ WHAT THE FINGER OF GOD HAS WRITTEN?

IS THERE AN EASE AND DISAMBIGUATION?

DARE YOU INTERPRET WHEN YOUR LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCES? 

IS YOUR OPINION ENOUGH TO SHIFT THE WEIGHTS IN YOUR FAVOR?

OR WILL YOU CALL WHAT IS WRITTEN

MERELY THE FICKLENESS OF FATE,

AND MOCK ON, FEIGNING INNOCENCE?

WOULD YOU BE MINDFUL OR OBTUSE

OR BLAME YOUR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

ON A POWERFUL ELLIPSIS?

TOO MUCH TO GRASP WITH FINITE EYES

STUMBLING FORTH WITHOUT ANTICIPATION

WILL YOUR COMFORTABLE KINGDOM

BE NUMBERED AND FOUND WANTING,

EVEN TONIGHT?

CAN YOU INTERPRET THE WORDS

THAT CAST THEIR CLOUDY LETTERS

AS THEY HANG IN MIDAIR

LIKE A DRAGONFLY, FLITTING THROUGH

GOLDEN PARTICLES,

ENTRANCING YOU

BUT LEAVING YOUR UNDERSTANDING DRY

AND AS DEAD AS WHITTED BONES.

 CAN YOU READ WHAT IS WRITTEN

IN ETERNITY’S DUST?

CAN YOU SO EASILY CONFIGURE

WHAT IS MEANT?

OR ARE WORDS FALLING

LIKE A HARLOT’S SILVER CUP BEING SPILLED OUT WHEN

ITS FULLNESS HAS BEEN BREACHED.

SATIATE YOURSELVES IN YOUR CONCUPISCENCE

LET PRIDE BE YOUR VICE AND SEDUCTION.

FOR YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND MOST WORTHY

TO DRINK DOWN DEEPLY,  EVEN TO THE DREGS

AND SWALLOW THE TASTE OF WRATH,

LETTING THE FLAVOR REMAIN IN YOUR SOUL

AS BITTER AS WORMWOOD.

YET NIGHT WORDS

CAN BRING CHANGE IN THE MORNING.

IN A BLINKING OF AN EYE, IN A MOMENT IN TIME,

WHAT WAS HIDDEN

WILL NO LONGER ESCAPE YOU.

IT WILL BECOME HARD EVIDENCE

UPON THE STONY WALLS

WHERE A TENDER HEART

SHOULD HAVE TAKEN RESIDENCE.

BY THE FIRST WATCH YOU SHALL INDEED

HEAR THE HOOF-BEATS OF FOUR DREADFUL HORSEMEN

THOUGH FOREIGN TO YOU,

YOU SHALL CERTAINLY MEET THEM,

EVEN AT YOUR OWN DOORS.

THEN GO,…. GO AND CALL UPON YOUR INTERPRETERS,

LET YOUR SOOTHSAYERS GIVE YOU

THE COMFORT OF THEIR FALSE LIGHT

SO YOU MAY STUMBLE IN YOUR OBSCURITY,

BECAUSE SURELY YOU POSSESS

NOTHING TO ILLUMINATE YOUR PATH OF CHOICE.

WHO WILL OPEN YOUR EYES

WHEN YOUR TIME SUFFERS CHANGE,

AND YOUR MOLECULES ARE REARRANGED?

THE COMFORT OF YOUR SORCERIES

WILL NOT PROVIDE YOU

A SPARING TO MATCH YOUR FOOLISH DARING.

IT IS TOO BAD YOU COULD NOT READ WHAT IS WRITTEN.

WORDS OF TRUTH WERE NEVER HIDDEN

BUT OTHERS DID YOUR BIDDING

AND YOU HAVE BEEN ABANDONED TO YOUR OWN ADVICE

WITH NO COALS TO WARM YOU

IN THE LONG NIGHT WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE READ

WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE DUST.