Page:Poems by Isaac Rosenberg (1922).djvu/87

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MOSES

A steel to break his manacles: hard for us
Moses has made him overseer. O, his slits
Pry—pry.... For what?... To sell to Imra....

[Abinoah is seen approaching.]



Sh! The thin-lipped abomination!
Zig-zagging haschish tours in a fine style:
It were delightful labour making bricks,
Knowing they would kiss friendly with his head.

Abinoah

[Who has been taking haschish; and who has one obsession, hatred of Jews.]

Dirt-draggled mongrels, circumcised slaves,
You puddle with your lousy gibberish
The holy air, Pharaoh's own tributary:
Filthy manure for Pharaoh's flourishing,
I'll circumcise and make holy your tongues,
And stop one outlet to your profanation.

[To the Old Hebrew.]



I’ve never seen one beg so for a blow;
Too soft am I to resist such entreaty.

[Beats him.]


Your howling holds the earnest energies
You cheat from Pharaoh when you make his bricks.

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