Jesus Was a Madman

 A Money Changer's Lament

Jesus was a madman
wild-eyed and dangerous
hanging just at the margins
associating with the largely undesirable
and untouchable
and unwantable
'til one day
he just plain
snapped

And the clearing of the temple?
That was a horror story,
animals screaming
hotheads steaming
people running and gunning
money rolling 'round the floor.
and out the windows
and out their pockets
and out the doors
dark and terrifying hideous and horrible.
oh, my god! Oh, my gold!

Here, there was a mild-mannered preacher man,
teaching, preaching love and peace
siding with the least of these
til one day, geez Louise!
he just goes jack-rabbit. outtacontrol

And in the temple of God, yet!
yelling, whipping, stomping, falling
calling curses down upon the people
which is to say, upon the businessmen
which is to say, upon the cheaters and the oppressors

They say he was possessed by demons,
grabbed by ghouls
A secret servant of Satan
Beelzebub's bud
Foaming-at-the-mouth mad
Right there in the Big City.
Right under their noses.
Right in their faces.

They gonna kill that man, for sure.
They gonna kill that man.