Lawrence Hall
Dispatches for the Colonial Office
Where is Herod’s Father?
…lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children,
and would not be comforted, because they are not.
-Saint Matthew 2:16-18
The Herod of today squats alone in his room
Alone, devoid of parenting or purpose
Feverishly feeling sorry for himself
His only friend is his Precious, his glowing screen
(And where is his father?)
He scribbles screaming screeds and manifestos
And draws cool pictures of army guns ‘n’ stuff
Mommy lets him do whatever he wants
Maybe another weapon will calm him down
(But where is his father?)
He counts the children in the village school
He draws a floor plan of the village church
He clutches his he-man tough guy army gear
He sends his sulkings through the GossipNet
(Oh, where is his father?)
A naked AR fantasy hangs on his wall
He takes him down, he wants to fondle him
He feels, he doesn’t think, he feels, he feels –
Maybe Moloch wasn’t such a bad guy after all
(Now where is Herod’s father?)
