“The Gathering”

Inflicting pain amongst the flocks
as they gather to adore him
entranced they hang on to his every word
His message reaches their ears as they sing
his praise he asks for flagellation, adoration
and total submission from their vacant souls
they have no rational thought he wants it all
he asks them to pray to the obelisk 
which houses his numerous tokens of oblation
and adoration leaving the crowd numb and fearful
he continues speaking for hours on end 
as the throngs stare straight ahead
the sweat pours off his body as he continues
to speak not missing a beat he knows
their weakness using it to his full advantage
his ego thrives on the crowd’s compliance
they watch him turn sheep into snakes
slithering in and out of the adoring crowd
he sanctions this display of egomaniacal
omnipotence as a show of his strength 
and the justification of his presence here
no one will stop this madness as the show
continues into the night
soon bolts of lightening flash across the sky
and hail begins to rain down on the unsuspecting
throng, his laugh can be heard throughout
the cacophony of screams coming from the crowd
he laughs the hearty laugh of someone
who knows what he wants and how to get it
like a puppet master he pulls the strings
as the throng swells out of control
he manipulates them all from his pulpit of lies
and shamelessly sets the stage for what’s to come.