Who Will Weep for Uriah?

Who Will Weep for Uriah

2 Samuel 11 and 23 KJV

by David Price

 

grey dawn

before

grey walls

the wind

ironclad

                                                                        unkind 

 

Far away,

            David stirs

            in the furs

            and perfume.

He watches the fire,

Relishes the hearth,

Revels in power,

Reginal remnants.

 

Forty.

                      Nine and thirty.

Iron sharpens iron!

                      One man sharpens ‘nother!

How sharp are you today?

                     Sharp as death, Fine as hell!

What, no greaves today?

                     Nay! We’re at the wall.

Close work there, eh?

 

                     Where are the three?

North, West and South wall.

                     East for us again.

                     Westbound at snail’s pace,

                     Bound for heaven’s gate.

You Pagan! 

                     You Bastard!

 

South.

                     Aye?

I am South with Shammah.

                    What number is with me?Today’s reinforcements.

                    Not one is numbered,then? 

                    Would God Abimelech

                    could cast off the millstone

                   and be at my right hand.

Or Saul or Jonathan!

Amen!

 

Here is my gift to you.

                  A quiver! you cut deep.

It is no jest, my friend.

Forty darts is the tale,

When you alone will stand

Below the gates of hell,

No sword remains at hand.

Shout loud “Chazaq U Matz!”

Baptize your foe in fear,

Then prevail in the press,

Eyethrust a dart–or ear!

Forty foe you will so bless,

Hold high your hands to God’s.

 

A dart you have for Saul,

            one you have for Jonathan,

                                                      and,

Abimelech, you named.

 

Adino the captain,

Eleazar, Shammah,

These three, they are the three!

 

And three more – Abishai,

Joab, U Benaiah.

 

Asahel, Elhanan,

Shammah, U Elika.

U Helez, U Ira,

Abiezer, the priest.

Mebunnai, U Zalmon,

Maharai, U Heleb.

Ittai, U Benaiah,

Hiddai, Abi-albon.

Azmaveth, Elyachba,

Jonathan, U Shammah.

Achyam, Eliphelet,

Eliam, U Hezrai.

Pa-arai, U Igal,

U Bani, U Zelek.

Naharai, U Ira,

Gareb stands before you.

 

                    The count is nine and thirty,

                    and one for Uriah!

Nay, Friend! Tis forbidden.

For so it is written,

“Vengeance is mine, I repay!”

                   Then who numbers forty?This last is for the king.

                   Forty years may he reign!

 

 

 

       Why do we love this king?

Because he first loved us,

And gave himself for us.

 

                   Why does he hate us now?Because we die each day.

And he, not at all.

And so we shine

While he…

       Daily dies a small death;

       Deep in his covert,

       Chewing politics

       And Wooing women!

Yea!

                   And by his little death

                   I gain glory unsought.

                   But where is irony

                  Where there is no iron!

 

      Why do we love this king?

Because he is our king!

 

                  Why do we love this king? 

Fairest of ten thousand,

                  And I, ten thousand one.

     

      Why do we love this king?

He is the King of kings.