Goatscape

 

Goatscape

by Evan Smith
Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Job 39.1
“Snort, snort,” said the goat to God
who smiled that he
had had a curse upon him
laid by brother priest in
vestment seamless
bright and shining
made as Moses saw
when veiled to teach
from the cloud he
descended to a people
stiff of neck and hard of heart
longing to escape
from Pharaoh but turning
again through Aaron the priest
again to worship their captors’ gold
shaped as bull and
scattered like dust
on the dessert sands
through which the little goat
wandered in search of Azazel.

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