The Pagan and the Christian

Pagan

Joseph rebukes me
telling me to worship God
a God he says dwells in the clouds
can't be seen or heard

he is carrying a book
he says twas written by God
to be read by His followers
in this world he says is rotten

he is opening the big book
reading it to me loudly
of how the world begun
moulded by one man

how can one man create everything?
where did he stand before creation?
i don't mind listening to him
he says such are the ways of faith

Joseph ridicules my ways
he clutches the rosary
lips moving in silent prayer
when I ask where this God is


shetani shindwe! he blurts out
for thrusting God's eyes
underestimating the man's power
he says i have to confess

i have three wives now
living in three different huts
but a married man will be discreet
then here comes Joseph with confession

he tells me to drop the two
and live with one, just one
for that God scorns polygamy
but where will they go?

Lomerpus, he calls me
telling me to discard the name
and take Godly name
for  i am God's son all the same

religious Joseph confuses my head
telling me about Ten Commandments
saying God hates my ancestors
saying the man refuses libation to my forefathers

he is clutching the rosary again
when i say i am late for my daughter's circumcision
those are the ways of the pagans
the holy book he pats never mentions it

he talks of somebody called Jesus
he is God's only son,
so the man married a woman?
he says that's sacrilege

the christian Joseph rumbles on
a man called Joseph married Mary
holy spirit made Mary expectant
giving birth to a son named Jesus


what's this holy spirit?
he says something about the holy trinity
that same God being three but he is one
i fear Joseph has lost his head

his face is dead with sadness
when he talks of that Jesus
how he died on the cross
i tell him not to mourn dead people

he isn't dead!
he died but rose on the third day
he says he washed away our sins
Joseph thinks i am daft

which disease killed the man?
his lips are moving in prayer
then he says our sins killed him
our sins crucified him

repent your sins, he warns me
repent them to the Good God
for what sins?
Joseph says i am crucifying Jesus twice

how can i repent to somebody i can't see?
even when one steals a cow
before elders he repents and pays fine
my ears haven't heard raw lie

Joseph has prayed ten times now
he has prayed for this hut
he has prayed for the big book
he has prayed for my atheism

he is telling me about Islam
of Mohammed and Koran
of the covered tomb of Mohammed
and the open tomb of Jesus

why do you believe in Jesus?
why not islam?
why not cows?
he says that Jesus lives

right are the ways of our ancestors
our ancestors guide us in this world
our ancestors dispel evil spirits
the gods can't be bad

Joseph maintains that I am a heathen
telling me to leave ancestors
for they are long dead
but his God lives

my ears have never heard such things
things about the end of the world
of the second coming of Jesus
people dies and the world remains

i will burn in hell, he warns again
if i don't heed what he says
i know he is forcing his way
thinking i am stupid to accept

he is praying silently again
when i tell him God never wrote that book
some fool sat somewhere and wrote it
he assures me I'm headed for the hell

if that God is one
for that book says so
why do we have many religions?
Joseph is clutching at the rosary

my fourth wife is busaa
my throat is burning for one
will you have one, Joseph?
he says it is devil's drink


Christian

Lomerpus doubts your existence
he wants to see you
he wants to hear you
heavens is what he calls clouds

show that this book is yours
your word, your flesh
to be followed by the nations
that you wrote for mankind

manifest yourself in creation stories
that you created man and universe
let your holy spirit talk
and tell Lomerpus that God exists

let his lips cling on each other
let his eyes look at the skies
let him look at your creation
and gasp, Jehovah dwelleth

you say, oh Jehovah
that you forgive what we forgive
and you grant what we curse
teach Lomerpus confession

i've read bible from cover to cover
you say one can't serve two masters
and two would be joined to be one
why should Lomerpus marry three wives?

you share your throne with none
that is why we have generational curses
of dead ancestors
but Lomerpus praises them

i've struggled to answer him
belabouring to quote verses
but i can't coherently talk about trinity
God being three yet one

oh the Mighty one
don't let the devil win
fill words in my lips
and guide my eyes in this bible


your word is true
wine is good for digestion
but not when it comes out
in vomit and insults

how well can i convince him
that you spoke through human lips
guiding their hands and minds
as they wrote your inspired word

speak your love for him
let Lomerpus exalt you
never should he look back
lest he turns into pillar of salt

is it not written in the scriptures
that a lake of fire awaits sinners
while heaven is reserved for your children
why then should Lomerpus scorn this?

a moon worshipper he was
when you called Abraham to you
telling him to let circumcision of males
your word never mentioned females

you sent Moses to Pharaoh
turning a rod to snake
turning his hand diseased
apportion me some of those wonders

anyway I've conveyed your message
i leave unto you to melt his heart
i kick dust off my feet
for it is your will, not mine

let your angels sing hosanna
dancing around your throne
as we rejoice this soul
the soul that satan wouldn't let go.