A farm prayer

A curfew was declared and all the animals were summoned and a farm hand stood on a pedestal opposite White who sat on his throne. And the farm hand made all the animals repeat after him: In the name of the White father And of his deputy son and of the holy Whitist worshippers Bless […]

A curfew was declared and all the animals were summoned and a farm hand stood on a pedestal opposite White who sat on his throne. And the farm hand made all the animals repeat after him:

In the name of the White father
And of his deputy son
and of the holy Whitist worshippers

Bless us father for we are about to sin.
We are about to sin because we are about to think
We are about to think because we are human
and weak
and curious.
Our weakness is about to betray us
and tell us to ask questions
Like why you have cancelled your trips to the different animal quarters
Like why your loyal deputy and son Sinbad Joe
went to the marshlands instead of you
Why he represented you outside the farm…
But we are loyal and hate to sin
So we will not let our weakness betray us
We feel the questions coming on
when we see you wince in pain
we lowly animals wonder
why a Wolf so white and fierce
so beautiful
so holy
can succumb to low feelings like pain
or
how you are like us
who hurt
who age
who can be wrong
But we will not let those questions take root
We see it for what it is:
gangrene that will spread
and cause disloyalty.
We are not disloyal
We are not disloyal
We are not disloyal
You are not in pain
You do not age
You wince to show that you can be like us
But you are higher than us

Forgive us White for we have sinned
We have not killed the animals who question you
We have only screamed at them
Threatened them
Mocked them
We have not found the energy
that we have for our gods
to find and kill any who insult them
to behead any animal, sheep or swan
that dares defecate where our gods sleep
that dares question the shape of out gods’ bodies
for the sculptures that the gods inhabit are not gods but mere holders of holiness
so it does not matter if they have ugly noses
But dear White,
We will
We will find the strength to behead traitors
Because a dead animal is better than a disloyal one.
Forgive us White for all our sins.
For wanting you to fulfil your promises
For allowing thoughts about your whereabouts and the pain in your side
For entertaining them
For not rooting them out as soon as they emerge

We know dear White,
We know you will do everything
Make the pipes flow with milk and honey
Defeat the wild dogs blowing up water pipes
Make the cost of grains on the farm stable
Make the bats who threaten you disappear
Deal with the darkness all across the farm
and deal with animals who do not worship you.

We end dear White, with our usual prayer:
In the name of the White father
And of the farm hands
And of the holy Whitists…

Bless us White for we have sinned
Bless our thoughts
Bless our desires
Bless our intentions

Blessed be thy name
Thy will be done in every quarter among every animal species
Teach us to love your will
Teach us to be teachable
Teach us to trust your will even when your will may not be clear
Teach us to defend your will before it becomes your will
For thine are the decisions, the thoughts and the glory
For as long as you choose to be farm leader
Amen

Elnathan John