The Brass Serpent

(The Story of Z.

A fictional story

Set within the historic context of

Numbers 21: 4-9)

I'm so far away, I'm so far away

I'm so far away

The distance means the world to me

Another lie and no one knows

Something dark inside me grows

It bothers me less and less each time

I've stopped asking if I've crossed a line

Each transgression and every sin

Brings a bald change within

I'm not really sure who I am and I can't re-begin

Don't get me wrong

I'm glad to have been set free

I've never been so scared in all my life

With the enemy on one side

The other side the sea

I told myself: It's all over tonight

Between me and being free it was a great chasm

And I had no way to get across

Then the waters were parted and dry land did appear

And I began to believe that God does hear

The Chariots followed racing behind

But as the last of us stepped from the domain of the sea

The waters collapsed on the persuing foe

And we sang out with joy being free and alone

I was cheered but still quite a bit shaken

Now free, would I miss what I've forsaken

What will lie before if I follow on this way

There's no other choice, no other choice

So I guess it doesn't matter any way

The Chariots followed racing behind

But as the last of us stepped from the domain of the sea

The waters collapsed on the persuing foe

And we sang out with joy being free and alone

I'm so far away

I'm so far away

How can you all follow so freely?

And eat this bread each day and evening?

Though the taskmasters are gone

Are we free, really free at all?

With these laws that it seems so hard to keep?

Have we been set free to die?

In the desert with the sun burning high?

Glad to leave bondage behind

Still, at least, I had some good times

In Egypt, and a roof and a bed at night

Behold the kindness and severity of God

After seeing what I've seen

Is it wise complain?

Behold the kindness and severity of God

If I'm less then greatful that He saved me

Would he cause me pain?

Our leader seems to think it's fine

That we're being deprived of meat and wine

Bread and water is our meal

Desert sands fill our heals

And I can't stop thinking that the promised land

Is what we left behind

Behold the kindness and severity of God

After seeing what I've seen

Is it wise complain?

Behold the kindness and severity of God

If I'm less then greatful that He saved me

Would he cause me pain?

Oh sweet longing!

The captivating dream

The precious chains of wanting

That wrap themselves around me

Oh sweet longing!

A hope that is a feeling

An end in itself

Yet a road without an end

Are the things which seem to have

The strongest draws upon us

The things we really want

Or really need

Are we seeking some fulfillment

Once and for all completing

Now and forever salving

All complications of our being

Oh sweet longing!

The captivating dream

The precious chains of wanting

That wrap themselves around me

Oh sweet longing!

A hope that is a feeling

An end in itself

Yet a road without an end

Oh sweet longing!

The captivating dream

The precious chains of wanting

That wrap themselves around me

Oh sweet longing!

A hope that is a feeling

An end in itself

Yet a road without an end

Oh sweet longing!

The captivating dream

The precious chains of wanting

That wrap themselves around me

Oh sweet longing!

A hope that is a feeling

An end in itself

Yet a road without an end

Oh sweet longing!

The captivating dream

The precious chains of wanting

That wrap themselves around me

Oh sweet longing!

A hope that is a feeling

An end in itself

Yet a road without an end

(So have the thoughts and words of Z been up until now

And he has not been alone in seeing things this way

Now he finds fiery serpents are upon them, and -

At least initially - wrongly attributes this to the workings

The false gods of Egypt)

Are the gods of Egypt upon us once again?

Typhon sends his children across the burning sands

Danger standing still, worse to try and run

One hiss

One kiss

One less

Son of man.

(Z's son seeks him out and finds him in his tent)

I push my way into the tent

Stare into the eyes of death

My father's lying on a pallet

Struggling for his breath

He pushes up onto one arm

He looks at me and says

Son! Save my life! Give me any message of hope!

Darkness like poison courses through my veins

Father, I cry, come out with me

To see the wanders of the dunes

Our leader's lifted up a serpent that heals with just one look

Believe, and be made whale

Son! Hold your tongue! Do you take me for a fool?

A serpent!

Don't mock me

Or minimize my pains

I can't believe you're doubting me, my father

Would I ever serve you wrong?

I've seen the wonder with my own eyes

I've seen the dead brought back to life

What's the cost to cast a glance?

Life over death

Son! Lay me down! Perhaps I don't deserve to live

Leave me

Help others

Who need it more than I

And the Lord says

When an evil spirit comes out of a man

It goes through arid places seeking rest

But it does not find it

Then it says

I will return to the house I left

When it arrives

It finds the house

Swept clean and put in order

Then goes and it takes

Seven spirits more wicked than itself

And they go in and live there

And the final condition of that man

Is worse than the first

Since we fled from pharaoh leaving Egypt behind

We've wandered through the desert seeking rest

But we have not found it

So we said

Better to return to the land we left

Than to perish

Than to languish

Where the sun steals the water

Taking matters in to our hands

We built the golden calf

For ourselves

And we went in and worshipped

And the final condition of generation

Is to sleep beneath the sand

Till the raising of the dead

We will worship the Lord who told Moses to put up the serpent

We will worship the Lord who told Moses to put up the serpent

We will worship Moses who put up the serpent

We will worship the serpent

In the heat of the desert the coldness came

Upon the body of Z

Though the serpent did pass him by

He never lifted his eyes to see

I'm so far away

I'm so far away

And I loved him like a son loves a father

And I loved him like a daughter loves a mother

And I am broken like a jar that can't hold water

And I am broken, and I cannot bear the thought

It was not as though he lacked the strength to lift his gaze

He went out of his way to look away

And the stubborness that brought him to his own demise

Just makes me feel so sick inside, sick inside, sick inside

So sick inside