Ismael
Ishmael
by KJ Hannah Greenberg
The rational behind Ishmael’s continued existence remains beyond my ken.
Similarly, atomic collapses confuse administrations, especially when regimes balance
Power for power. Just as mystifying are cargo cults, poodles, lampshades,
Droopy basset hounds suffering from false pregnancies, the wearing of dhotis.
In war, as in peace, survivors ought not to suffer guilt, but to celebrate popcorn, silver, guns.
Nonetheless, understanding, like stratiform clouds, becomes cumulonimbus anvils,
Cirrus whispers, true stable atmosphere denizens, when logic’s peritoneum is severed.
Equally unfathomable is children’s gleaning of nutrition from artificial foods.
Foul origin is a fact, not a question. Vile destinies, too, bound beyond simple comprehension.
Malevolently nullified existence brings pain, forgets certainty. Satiation for pin pricks, lobsters,
Men, forms in laws, commandments, civil obedience, watery beds. Otherwise, governments,
The media, and the public, respectively, derive their limits from improper decisions or stay away.
Perhaps, the truths of fragmented days, prejudice, broken homes, self-promotion, all prove,
How social insufficiency overcomes no soronous evil, or active calumny. Maybe
International accountability rests upon long-established desert patterns of avarice.
Possibly, like locusts, lice, plague-bearing rodents, wasteland adversaries linger by despoiling.
Magog slaps tiles playing mahjong with Gog near a sundial. Gog says to Magog,”Where’d that ram come from again?”
Magog says to Gog,”That there were the last of Ishmael’s flock. A maverick (as it were). It wandered off sometime after the ruse Sara pulled what with that wool baby.”
Pausing the game, Gog (all agog) stops Magog with a look of disbelief,”Wool baby? What are you inferring there Magog? That Sara faked a pregnancy and took Hagar’s second son to Abraham then kicked the girl to the dunes like a common stranger then claimed their miracle had come to pass?” I am shocked that you’d suggest such a thing Magog.”
“Now Gog,” says Magog,” there you go jumping to conclusions. Said nothing of the kind. See if that were true, Abraham would not have had his blade turned away by the hand of God and Abraham would have lost two sons to Sara’s one. Not to mention that would mean Isaac lost his brother due to an old woman’s petty jealousy and outright trickery. We know that would never happen.”
“You’re damn right Magog.” confirms Gog, commencing play once more” Never!”
“Naturally,” rejoins Gog.
“Naturally….”agrees Magog then calmly declares kong and calls out,”Majong!”