The Pilgrim Road 25 Poem by David McLansky

The Investigation (25)


The little child woke at dawn

And asked the Prioress, 'Where my Mom? '

The Prioress sprinkled salt and thyme

Around the child with Holy Wine; 

The Prioress asked her, 'What is your name? '

The child answered just the same; 

'My name is Lily, like the flower, 

I'm made of water, yeast, and flour; 

Mama says I'm like baked bread, 

I rise alive with sleepy head.'

The Priest squeezed in the tiny cell, 

Said, 'You have another name as well; 

Lilith is your other name, 

Confess it and repent your shame; 

At night you are an evil wind, 

The screech owl heralds where you've been, 

You bring sickness to children in their bed; 

Asmodeus is your husband wed.'

The child laughed and said, 'You're dumb, 

I'm not married, I'm too young; 

Little girls can't get married; '

'Confess your sins, ' the old Priest parried; 

Tears came to the young child's eyes, 

They streaked her cheeks as she cried, 

'I just want to go back home; 

I want my Mommy, leave me alone.'



The Priest's Exhortation (26)

'Confess, confess, ' said the Priest, 

'You are possessed by The Beast, 

You are the bride of Wicked Baal, 

You live to tantalize, enthrall; 

I've seen you lying in my bed, 

Your naked form above my head, 

Floating in the fetid air, 

I've seen you drape your sparkling hair; 

A lure to turn mens mind to lust, 

I've seen you waiver and you thrust, 

Enticing men to pollute and sin, 

I've seen you mock and laugh at him; 

You bring death and pointless strife, 

Oh Evil Spawn, Oh Satan's wife, 

You are Lilith with her talon claws, 

The Souls of men lay in your maws; 

At night you hunt, you stalk, connive

To turn men from their Christian lives; 

You smile and grind your lustful hips, 

You grab and squeeze your milkless breasts, 

So men will squirm and have no rest; 

By the flayed skin of Bartholomew, 

I call you out, be done with you!




Prison Break (27)


The little girl turned pale than white, 

She struck the Priest with all her might, 

He tried to grab her little hands, 

She ducked their fanning and then she ran; 

And pushing left, she was out the door, 

She darted right as he roared, 

He called the Nuns to 'Stop that child! '

Some Nuns stood still, some Nuns smiled; 

Around the corner, down the stairs, 

She ran as if pursued by bears, 

By foxes and by wild boars, 

She saw sunlight streaming through a door; 

And as she ran she screamed and screamed, 

"The man was cruel, the woman mean; "

She crossed the yard to find the gate, 

A Nun tripped her with a rake; 

Hands reached down to pull her up, 

She bit and pulled just like a pup; 

And just when she could not struggle more, 

The man who saved her the day before, 

Lifted her up off the ground, 

And smiled at her and looked around.



The Second Confrontation (28)

The Priest appeared, out of breath, 

A stain of sweat suffused his vest, 

'You again! Release that witch! 

Or I'l impose an interdict; 

I'll forbid to you the Sacraments

If you interfere in these events! '

The Pilgrim smiled, the Priest perspired, 

The child clung to young Zechariah, 

He set down the child who held his hand, 

'No words can sever God and man.

Forbid not the child to come to me.'

Sneered the Priest, 'That's blasphemy! '