PSALM OF OPPRESSION

PSALM OF OPPRESSION

The ancient city is built foursquare and strong:

the cathedral has stood secure for a thousand years;

Saint Martin's statue looks down, across the city:

here men rule over others, and priests rule them!

They say, “The unemployed should pull their weight:

if the poor were only more diligent, we'd all be happier.”

But Martin gave half his cloak to a beggar:

he cut his cloth to share with the poor.

How can we share our fortune with fellow citizens:

can the minority speak loud enough to be heard?

We protest at the powers in our present world:

the domination of the mighty must be broken.

The carnival procession dances through the streets:

the jester can state the obvious to the ruling authorities!

To work together today, we need new systems:

as Jesus broke the rules for the sake of the poor.

Help us, God, to play the fool:

then we can share what you've given us with each other.

Acknowledgement: A reference to the city of Mainz (by the Revd Christa Springe 1988).