Salem Dreams

Shem sits upon his throne with his fierce blue eyes,

gazes out at the dirt streets of Salem,

his spirit haunted by the dreams

of the days before the flood,

when he helped his father, Noah,

built the ark with his two brothers, Japheth and Ham.

 

They were spread like the wind,

father on a island in the sea,

his brothers on distant continents,

still the vision of that other world,

giants, winged creatures and angelic beings,

cities of gold and crystal towers,

and kings with mystical powers,

wars that lasted centuries,

beauty beyond description,

mixed with the slaughter of innocence.

 

It all stalks his mind at nights,

while he lives in that legendary persona

as Melchizedek, priest, monarch and seer,

how often he has sent the future,

this city someday called Jerusalem,

home to kings and place the Messiah shall come.

 

He holds the Garment of Adam

that magically robe with powers to control animals,

given to his father by Methuselah.

There was a price of blood

paid to reclaim it once it had been stolen

ended up in the hands of that rebel Nimrod,

but the Lord’s wrath had given Shem superhuman strength

entered Nimrod’s city of Babylon alone

so overwhelming in his presence

none could dare to stand against him,

once slice of his sword decapitated that vile king.

 

Soon Abraham will visit,

then will come time to teach him the old ways,

with his hands firmly clutching the garment,

for a while he can sleep

though a seer’s slumber always brings visions

time yielding tomorrow’s secrets,

which he’ll keep preserved in a scroll

passed on to Abraham in due season.