The Conquering Lion of Judah (new title, rev. 3)

[TranquillityBase]

Ungrateful

After his week away from home
traveling West Texas
calling on auto parts stores as far as the border
my father sometimes brought me souvenirs
from across the Rio Grande
from Piedras Negras and Acuna:

a ceramic Aztec warrior,
a bullwhip made in a Mexican prison
and once, for my birthday, a ring.

It had plumes of gold 
lapping up around a green sapphire
a lion engraved on its face.

“This,” he told me,
“is the Conquering Lion of Judah,
King Haile Selassie 
who fought Mussolini in the deserts of Ethiopia.”

Below the lion was
the astrological sign for Leo.
I knew this was no relic of his childhood.
I gave it away as soon as I could
to a long ago girlfriend.

I was a resentful teenager
who blamed him for his ignorance.
I was blind to its storied memory
until after he was dead.

Now I treasure and regret 
that lost ring that I let go so thoughtlessly
and quote to myself,
“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth
it is to have a thankless child.”

The Conquering Lion of Judah ver. 2



After a week away from home

my father often brought me souvenirs

from across the river

from Piedras Negras and Acuna:



a ceramic Aztec warrior,

a bullwhip made in a Mexican prison

and once, for my birthday, a ring.



It had plumes of gold

surrounding a green sapphire

a lion engraved on its face.



He said,

“It’s the Conquering Lion of Judah,

King Haile Selassie 

who stood up to Mussolini

in the deserts of Ethiopia

a hero from my childhood.”



Below the lion was

the astrological sign for Leo.

I didn’t feel like disappointing him,

but I never wore the ring.







The Conquering Lion of Judah ver. 1







When he got home late



every Thursday night



from Eagle Pass and Del Rio



after a week away from home



my father often brought me souvenirs



from across the river



from Piedras Negras and Acuna:



a ceramic Aztec warrior,



a bullwhip made, he said, in a Mexican prison



and once, for my birthday, a ring.



It had plumes of thick gold



surrounding a square green sapphire



engraved on its face



a gold lion and the sign for Leo.







I told him impatiently, I’m a Virgo



and he said, No, it’s the Conquering Lion of Judah.



It stands for King Haile Selassie



the one who stood up to Mussolini



in the deserts of Ethiopia,



hero of his childhood.







I was too young to accept his error



and blamed him for it



blind to what the lion offered him



and to what he was trying so hard



to offer to me.