Ezekiel Emanuel 143
‘He who knots a noose might get his neck caught in it.’ – Anon.
Ezekiel Emanuel
(with apologies to Leigh Hunt)
Ezekiel Emanuel, who’s known
As Doctor Death, or Doctor Heart-of-Stone,
Woke to see by moonlight in his room,
Smoking, and writing in The Book of Doom,
The Angel Barry, halo round his head,
Who’d come to note who, this week, should be dead.
And to the Presence in the room he said,
While half asleep, but sitting up in bed:
‘What are you writing, Barry? Speak to me!’
And Barry answered, ‘Checking out, I see
That you’ve established something of a test
To help us heavenly rulers to decide
Who’ll be allowed to live and who must die.
But you yourself are going o’er the hill,
You’re over fifty and you may be ill.
Thing is, are you worth keeping on your toes?
I’m noting who’s been tested, stays or goes.’
The Angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
He came again, with a great awakening light,
And showed the names of those who’d failed the test –
And lo! Emanuel’s name led all the rest!
