to sac

of what hope
do you hope for?
can there be light
when the doors to ears
windows to eyes
paths to souls
are sealed by shouts
from pulpits and minarets
by visionless beards
with eyes blinded
by hermeneutic
hallucinations?

and
where some of us
--the people of the book
who can, do not read
understand nor follow
despite untold exhortations
leaving the field clear
for the flowing beards
and then we ( you and i)
have the temerity
to blame the maulvis
and wonder
if there is any hope