Poem Retrospective 5

Considering that life is fleeting
and years are flying by fast
better post poems I’ve written
before I breathe my last

 The following was originally written for a class project on the Prophet Amos at the Vancouver School of Theology in the Fall of 2012. The aim was to address a curent social issue in the voice of Amos. Colonial Rap was revised into this final form on ‎April ‎29, ‎2015.

Colonial Rapby Victoria Marie
Hear this word that the Lord said:
“I heard The Peoples’ cries today,
‘We searched everywhere for a place to stay
But all we keep hearin’ is go away
Keep searchin’ everywhere to find a home
Hopin’ someone will say, ‘Shalvah shalom’”

Now listen to me!
You flag ‘n’ cruelty lovin’ Badgemen
Crushin’ Earth with ya’ Regismen
Seekin’ shelter, we came to you
Turn us away is what you do
And those that cannot fill a lawyer’s purse
you give ‘em treatment even worse
You pride in puttin’ their kids in jail
Takin’ pleasure in their mothers’ wail


Now choose the Lord an’ change your ways
Doing justice shows God your praise
God delights in those who love, respect and share
The Lord reduces those who don’t to despair …

I heard the Lord sayin’
When the trouble comes don’t call on Me
‘Cause what you done to them, you done to Me
You gon’ go beggin’ at your neighbour’s door
You wont even get the scraps from their floor
When you homeless, runnin’ place to place
Those that spit at you are wearin’ your face

Remember what the Lord did
God led your forbears safely to foreign lands
Ev’where God’s Peoples to you opened their hands
They saw you as strangers, yet welcomed you ashore
They gave you friendship, land, yet you wanted more
What you did to them still hurts to this day
Your laws taking freedom, language, lands away.

Now God is giving you another chance
To greet a stranger with a welcoming stance
Yes another chance for you to do it right
To act with love instead of actin’ with spite
Choose wrongly, and refuse to let Justice dwell
And there’ll be nothing that God’s wrath will quell
Choose justice, sharing, caring as the Lord intends
So that all God’s blessings on our land descends


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