November 12, 2012
Monday Poem
For insulting the Quran, "'Thousands of people
dragged a Pakistani man … from a police station …
(and) beat him to death,' police said Wednesday."
Insulting Books
Is it even possible
to insult a book?
Has it a soul within its leaves
a heart that beats
an eye that winks
a cord running through its spine
descending from a thing that thinks?
Is a book of inky lines
(of characters not themselves sublime)
capable of being hurt or ridiculed
or cheapened by critiques
either of the wise, or fools?
Has it veins between its covers
salty with the blood of lovers?
Is there something in its pages
(even if put there by sages)
that warrants death to critics?
Is it a thing so lame that priestly brothers
(arrogant, imperious, parasitic)
who worship sheaves of ink on paper
must, for its sake, snuff the holy breath
of others?
by Jim Culleny
11/6/12
Related
Posted by Jim Culleny at 12:30 AM | Permalink
Comments
So sad.
Posted by: Norman Costa | Nov 12, 2012 9:06:46 AM
It's really not about the book at all.
But when you say "I think the Q'uran is false", you are saying "It is possible that Muslims might be mistaken about the nature of this book."
And that belief is the unforgivable sin.
Posted by: Swami | Nov 12, 2012 2:02:11 PM
Swami—
I get that.
The poem wonders: if a book is not insultable what/who is, to a point which justifies homicide?
Issuing from your take the question becomes, are Mulims infallible?
Posted by: Jim | Nov 12, 2012 2:25:24 PM
The pack is bound by the blood it spills of others.
Posted by: Vivek Tandon | Nov 13, 2012 6:50:30 AM
Post a comment