It used to be sung,
“I’ll be ready
When Babylon comes for I.”
When and I.
The liminal void between
Conjunctive subordination
And collective object,
Yet profoundly subject,
Dead serious in defiance.
It was never my song to sing,
I, who live within its walls,
The gardens hanging in lush view.
It’s wonderful how songs sung
Sail deep,
To places dark,
Reaching captives within the captor.
When Babylon comes...
Babylon has come—
He came,
Called himself fucking great,
Like a white, wet dream,
The kind that makes one scream—
Dried up, crusted,
Flaking off a used sock.
These flakes,
White, but with hearts right,
Rise up angry,
Recognizing the plight,
Of all taken by Babylon in might.
The fright has become trite.
Babylon, empire reigning,
Who has come for I,
I is ready.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
-
Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: April 24th, 2025 08:20
- Comment from author about the poem: Inspired by the P.O.D. song, “I’ll Be Ready”. Dedicated to all oppressed and murdered by the beast.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 11
Offline)
Comments5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74-q5BJ-Dtk (link should you decide to use the post embedding feature here at MPS)
Quite layered and textured. Set me sailing “deep to places dark” for I. 🕊🙏🏻
Thanks, friend. I never think to do that. It will be done as soon as I finish typing this. Great idea. Much appreciated, my friend. Glad you went on the journey! 🔥📖🧱✊
I like how you used the personal pronoun I. Powerful and direct it sings out against oppression. Babylon the symbol of debauchery and evil much like Sodom is well used in this poem. Nicely phrased and worded it carries the reader along to the end.
Thank you, Soren. Indeed, I am glad you noticed the use of the pronoun, both personal and collective, speaking to all oppressed by the system. I am glad that it delivered, my friend. 🔥📖🧱✊
I will be fussy! Slightly ungrammatical - 'I is ready'?! Though probably said that way by some dialects in part of the UK.
Meanwhile - 'I be writing me next poem!' lol.
🤣 Haha! For sure, it definitely breaks the Queen’s grammar. You’re not secretly a student of Rastafarian linguistics, are you my friend? “I” in this case is actually right where it needs to be—both the personal I and the collective I and I. It’s subversive grammar born out of resistance to colonialism, and I find that evolution incredibly beautiful. That’s the root this line grows from. 😉 Though, perhaps its said in the UK too? 🤷♂️ Methinks, I can't wait for I's poem that I said me be writing. Oof...now I've really gone and confused things! LOL! Thanks again, Orchi! I always appreciate your time, engagement and humor! 🔥📖🧱✊
Me again - lol. I know an uplifting Chorus on part of Psalm 137 - not concerning vengeance on enemies though. Erm, that's no reason to sing endless 'Choruses' about 500 times in one go. Seems like about 500 times sometimes. lol.
Oh, but doesn't it though? I hear you there! 🤣 I love to sing, but you need more than those holy water founts hold to hydrate a congregation singing that long! 🤣
"I is ready", indeed. A call to self in this rather unique passage of exuberant poetry. Expressed with an intellectual flair for language and poetic devices. I love this poem and everything about it. Very well done to be sure.
Kind regards,
Tony.
Wow, Tony—I'm truly humbled. Thank you so much for your time, your generous words, and your thoughtful analysis. I’m deeply glad the message, the linguistic choices, and the poem as a whole resonated with you. 🔥📖🧱✊
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