Dies Irae
Dies irae dreadful day
when the world shall pass away
so the priests and shomen say
what gaunt phantoms shall affront me
mi lai sharpville wounded knee
arthur kissorcallatme
to what judgement meekly led
shall men gather trumpeted
by Louis Armstrong from the dead
life and death shall here be voice
less rising from their moist
interment hoist-
ing all their flags before them
poniard poison rocket bomb
nations of the earth shall come
and his record page on page
forever building he shall scan and give each age
sentences of righteous rage
if the pious then shall shake me
what reply can merchants make me
what defences can they fake?
mighty and majestic god-
head saviour of the broken herd
grant me mercy at thy word
day of fire dreadful day
day for which all sufferers pray
grant me vengeance with thy sword
.
by Kumau Brathwaite
from The Norton Anthology, 2003