Jezebel, devoured by
dogs
August w/ the shadows of birds
up the sides of houses. My mouth,
which has no more apologies. I am
not the sickness, am not the cure.
Opened your letter, read about the rape.
Listened to a train on the other side
of town. Stood in the back yard, ghost
of a moon nailed to a pale blue sky.
Laughter of children. Screams.
Could’ve been either happiness or
fear.
up the sides of houses. My mouth,
which has no more apologies. I am
not the sickness, am not the cure.
Opened your letter, read about the rape.
Listened to a train on the other side
of town. Stood in the back yard, ghost
of a moon nailed to a pale blue sky.
Laughter of children. Screams.
Could’ve been either happiness or
fear.
Jezebel is Thrown Down by the Eunuchs -- Slavujac
Jezebel Goes to the Dogs -- Slavujac
Jezebel's Carcase -- Slavujac
"Jezebel" is the Anglicized transliteration of the Hebrew 'Izevel ("Where is the Prince?,", a ritual cry from worship ceremonies in honor of Baal during periods of the year when the god was considered to be in the underworld). She was a "Sidonian" (a Phoenician), a daughter of Ithobaal of Tyre, who consolidated his rule as far north as Beirut and part of Cyprus and founded colonies in north Africa. According to Menander of Ephesus she was the great-aunt of Dido, who founded Carthage. She married Ah'av (Ahab), the son of king Omri of Israel, and became an influential adviser to him when he became king, inciting him to worship the Phoenician deities and persecute Jewish prophets including Eliyahu (Elijah, "My God is Yahu"). At her instigation her religion became the country's national religion. After Ahab's death Elijah's successor Elisha ("My God is salvation") supported general Yehu ("Yahu is He") against the dynasty. Yehu slew Ahab's son and marched against Jezebel's palace at Jezreel. She adorned herself in her royal regalia to confront him as a usurper (her finery and makeup are the basis for associating cosmetics with prostitutes, "painted women"). Yehu had her thrown from the window of her palace: "So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: and the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel." [2 Kings 33-37]. Yehu went on to have Ahab's 70 sons murdered and their heads sent to him in baskets and piled in 2 heaps at the entrance to the palace. Then, saying "Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much," he massacred the priests.
ReplyDelete