June 8–14 ❘ Choosing a King
Choosing a King
Samuel didn’t accurately state
our case for history,
why we begged him to heed
the people’s voice, to give us
the rights of other nations.
He listed monarchy’s ills—
children taken for soldiers and slaves,
lands confiscated for cronies,
wealth taxed to prop up the privileged—
but he failed to note
that all earthly leaders are corrupt.
His sons were no better than Eli’s.
We—God’s chosen people—
were always surrounded,
always on defense,
always made to prove our faith
again and again on the brink
of destruction.
What we really wanted
in this world of constant warfare
was a rallying point for our anger,
an avatar to fight our battles
with bravado and flair.
We were tired of waiting on a Lord
who gave us a promised land
infested with vipers
we could neither conquer nor join,
His wrath levied more often
on us than our enemies.
So, since we had agency,
we embraced a new path,
all the consequences examined
and carefully packed away.
You think you would have acted
differently in our position. But
one day you’ll tell your own stories
to judges as yet unborn
about how you always had good reasons
for doing the wrong thing.
Read more of my poetry at www.facebook.com/latterdaysaintpoetry
Contact me at merrijane.rice@gmail.com
