Robert Southwick Richmond

Hosea

HOSEA

 

I will betroth you to myself in... unfailing devotion and love... and you shall know the LORD. (וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ wə·yā·ḏa·’at haShem)

Hosea 2:20

 

Hosea swung with a daughter of Baal,

a real gomer, a dirty ol’ lady.

Dug that yab-yum, that Shiva ’n’ Shakti,

dug that tantric left-hand jive.

Wound up makin’ it legal with the LORD,

wound up gettin’ acquainted with the LORD,

(quaint old Chaucerian pun)

knowin’ the LORD like they do in the Bible,

black swingin’ God with a necklace of skulls,

said Lo-‘ammi, you ain’t my people,

long-faced Baptiss from the hills of Canaan,

said Lo-‘ammi, I ain’t your God.

Got her back for fifteen bills

and like Hostess Twinkies with raisins in ’em,

and they’re a-jumpin’ and a-jivin’

a-swingin’ and a-swivin’

gettin’ to know

gettin’ to know

gettin’ to know the LORD.