While refugees from freedom keenly look
Towards the Holy Land for the Messiah,
And mad apocalyptists scan the Book
For prophecies of all-consuming fire;
While ruthless businessmen in turn exploit
These manic souls, by linking faith with wealth
(Thus making them in practice most adroit
At helping to enable Mammon’s health);
An antidote to such materialists,
Whose gross excesses Earth to death condemn,
And to religious sado-masochists
Is reading Shakespeare in Jerusalem.
No individual’s managed to instill
The need for moderation more than Will.
Jerusalem
26 June 2006