Trial of the Lilithite - 5

Hung limply there, upon the air, 

With great sea wall behind;

Her lovely dress a filthy mess,

Her voice fierce and unkind:

"THOU HATH SEEN ME MADE UNCLEAN,

STRIPPED OF ROMANIPEN¹

BECAUSE OF THEE, FOUL MOKADI² --

YET FATE'S WHEEL TURNS AGAIN."

Hovering there, she said a prayer,

"DEVLESA AVILAN³;

Then her face changed, her eyes deranged: 

"BRING ME YOUR HOLY MAN."

With brow uncreased, our pious priest

Stepped up to break the spell: 

"O foulest witch -- the Devil's bitch!

I cast thy soul to Hell!"

At Tucker's gaffe, she gave a laugh

And forked the Evil Eye;

"YOU AND YOUR KIN - THIS DEN OF SIN --

SHALL BE SO CURSED, SEZ I.

THY GAJE⁴ SCUM TOSSED ME TO CHUM,

AND I NOW FACE EXILE;

MY DEATH WAS HURRIED, I AM UNBURIED,

AND I HOLD YOU ALL ON TRIAL.

OF THY SONS BORN, MY DEEPEST SCORN --

LOWER'N PIGS IN MUD;

WALLOW THUS, SO RAVENOUS,

E'ER IN SEARCH OF BLOOD.

THY LADIES FAIR, I OFFER PRAYER

TO LILITH, QUEEN OF LUST;

OF DEADLY CURVES, AND KILLERS' NERVES,

TO TURN MEN'S WILL TO DUST."

Last (not least), she faced the priest,

As Tucker faced her tawse --

I saw him damned, his body rammed

Into his wooden cross.

FUSTANGIU!⁵ BULANGIU!!⁶

She shrieked at everyone,

The massive wave began to cave,

And we began to run. 

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- © Jackson Cambridge, 2015.

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¹ Romanipen: One's ties, investment and loyalty to Romani culture.

² Mokadi: Unclean, as a dog; 'dirty dog'. 

³ 'Devlesa avilan': Funeral utterance; 'It is God who brought you.'

⁴ Gaje: Non-Romani

⁵ Fustangiu: 'Skirt chaser'.

⁶ Bulangiu: 'Betrayer'.