Bibliofreakblog

FreeVerse: Oath

The internet is a many-splendored thing.  It brings me things that even my beloved library fails to deliver.  

All of the Patti Smith books were checked out when I went to the library yesterday.  Perhaps because of her visit to Seattle, or because of her new memoir, or maybe just because she is awesome and they seriously need more Patti Smith Books at the library.

Thanks to YouTube, I have relived a moment many times that I will probably cherish all my life and tell my grandchildren about and only happened 48 hours ago:

So!  That’s how Patti Smith ended her show with Seattle Arts & Lectures last night.  

But she began it with the poem “Oath”, which she wrote about six years or so before she used it in the song, “Gloria” on her debut album, “Horses”.

Here is the original poem:

“Oath” by Patti Smith:

Jesus died for somebody’s sins
but not mine
melting in a pot of thieves
wild card up my sleeve
thick heart of stone
my sins my own
I engrave my own palm
sweet black X
Adam placed to hex on me
I embrace Eve
and take full responsibility
for every pocket I have picked
mean and slick
every Johnny Ace song
I’ve balled to
long before the church
made it neat and right
So Christ
I’m giving you the good-bye
firing you tonight
I can make my own light shine
and darkness too is equally fine
you got strung up for my brother
but with me I draw the line
you died for somebody’s sins
but not mine

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