The Watchtower - Lili Ward

Text for Holiday Program's Christmas show:

The Witnesses point to the story of the golden calf; in which the Israelites constructed an idol to worship, dishonoring and disobeying god in the process. The Witnesses point then to the Christians in their repetitive celebration of Jesus on Christmas as a deification of the worldly and not the godly, They appeal to fleshly desires and they promote false religion and spiritism. I grew up to condemn the ritualisation of sinful behaviour I grew up to pretend in December, to understand words the size of my pinky finger. I knew Jesus was not born in December, I grew up knowing to look for proof unlike Christians. Mum said in fact that “The star to have led the Magi came from Satan himself”, I see that the wise men were likely Pagan astrologers. December holds the trappings of popery and the rags of the beast Lili it is imperative to be wrapped in sheet white, to not let rags of fur and indulgence leak unto oneself. Imperative to learn the difference between the sand dollar and the communion wafer. To watch my sister drink the wine at passover and blink but not laugh, To know that now the wine of abstinence isn’t blood. Now it’s mine for wild country, Donned in the rags of the beast,a 90% polyester fur coat, pockets brimming with sand, I dont call my sister, I imagine it ringing out in an inner-west townhouse. I appeal almost entirely to fleshly desires, this is not year ten its a white christmas overture At christmas it is imperative to follow the council of those who have witnessed everything, to have witnessed Jehovah is an individual privilege, one bestowed on my once fresh and glittered flesh. Important to use this simple perspective properly. As she made a pine tree pop up from folded cardstock I unbuttoned two pearls on her cardigan; My teacher had a bird tattooed on her chest. She woke up at the alter, knees towards the nested eagle. Catholic guilt has a better ring to it but I do wash my hands 7 times a day, and the scar on my cheek changes shape with my environment; A beast, A star, A tree and again A dog. The Truth is Easier to Decipher from the Watchtower.