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The Spike or Victoria College Review 1938

The Agitators

The Agitators

As John the vipers in the wilderness
The black, from sin unshackled, crying
Repent, repent!
Exhorteth the Post Office clock.

As Herod the king saying "Dance, Salome,
For I am troubled with an agitator,"
The unrepentant pass him by
For lunch and a quiet eighteen holes.

—Well-meaning folk, whose house is built on sound
Finance; subscribers to public charities;
Who see, unwarned, hell walking in their streets.
Yet, spurning John's and the negro's .Christ,
Whore after Private Enterprise
Repenting not.

But we believe no Comfortable Words
To lighten for us the imposition of sin.

We, the saboteurs and stirrers-up,
We who renounce heaven
Lay waste our altars, suspect our emotions
And follow no kindly light;
We Lucifers who deify ourselves
Against gods we do not trust, and cry Repent, repent!
We who have repented
Demand only the right to be virtuous.

—H.W.G.