Lost in Translation
By Jan Bowman
Potential danger is worse than naked fire
Precaution before salvation
Fire can be devastating
(English translation of a sign in China)
what we meant to say
after Babal towered our pride
after flesh said more than spirit
after warnings of potential danger
could not save those who
spoke another language
what we meant to say
after Pentecost changed everything
after spirit said more than flesh
after tongues made of fire
unclothed us, burned all fabrics
of pretense to shreds
and we held all things in common--
food, land, language, salvation
until...
what we meant to say in
Saigon
Jerusalem
Ramallah
Kabul
Cairo
Baghdad
must have been lost
swallowed like a prayer for salvation
before bullet, bomber, missile
hit home
