The war of Maccabees (ver 3)

[LeoVictorBriones (poetremains)]

A travesty of ages
born on a mist of comets
and the dust of dynastic tendencies
leaves in its trail the echo of slaves

Moses pleads,
“Pharoah let my people go!”

Divide and conquer is slowly
laid out on history’s
carouseling chapters
and words that stab each other
for our petty clan's honor.

Blue and gray they say
mixes to the reddest of all red,

as a pudgy faced, smirking
Vice President Judah P. Benjamin flees,
finds redemption
as a barrister in the Queen’s court

and Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel,
bloody on the barge’s deck,
whispers death and the prophecy
of the abolition

“My people’s destiny is rooted in a different
cataloging of America.”

[mfwilkie]

I like this one, leo. Mag

[Tina (Firefly)]

As a deep-rooted Southerner, I was stunned when I learned from my CA poet friend about the history I somehow either missed or was never taught. How skillfully you weave tales and truths into this intelligent and intriguing poem. It inspires me on several levels to research a few past historical figures and I appreciate your metaphorical allusions. May be a bit "intellectual" for some, as poetry, but that's always part and parcel of your slant.

[ramadevi]

Having grown up in a Jewish home and read of the Macabbee brothers from aTyou for your careful study of that history and understanding a different perspective. Fine quote at the end.

Bravo. No nits.

[mfwilkie]

been thinking about this and did a bit of research on these two contrasting men.

What if you developed their lives a bit more?

Mags

[alfredo]

Your piece forced me to discover:-

renaissance man v legal man
man of letters v eloquence in speech
blue v gray
northern Jew v southern Jew

Thanks for incentive to learn more of US history!

PS Understand Judah was described an an "Israelite in Egyptian clothing"?