Chapter X: The Queen and the Glory

The Travels of Reb Mendelovitch is an experimental comix strip in the form of a scroll, describing the imaginary adventures of reb Mendelovitch in a chaotic, politically unstable world. The protagonist is based on Schneur Zalman, of Hebron, an orthodox artist, a HABAD rabbinical envoy who had traveled around the world, and was the author’s great-great-grandfather.

In the tenth installment, Mendelovitch arrives in London and meets the Queen.

From town to town, and then again –
London
The magnificent city
Has come down in the world.
There sits
The gracious ruler of the whole realm
The glorious throne of Queens and India
Victoria the Queen.

Chapter 10
The Queen
And the Glory

Prophet:
Who is the Queen?

Rebel:
She made foreign our own land
And saved our breaths for slaughter!

Mendelovitch:
Have the echoes of doubt reached this far?

Through the smoke Mendelovitch sees
The house of the passing Queen.

Mendelovitch:
The Queen of my dream?
Through all my misadventures
The fear grew in me
And I’d lost hope of seeing her.

Victoria:
My egg, let me see you
And hear your voice.

Upon his egg Mendelovitch penned
Passionate verses for the Queen.

Mendelovitch:
God has found her, the Lord Savior.
Her marvels are many, overcoming all hardships.
The sad heart will gladden, the dark spirit,
Her light shines upon sickened souls.
Enduring and aching, until old age comes.
Raise her and praise her,
She has sweetened my sorrows.

The memory of her grace and truth, bestowed upon my ancestor.
Her wealth dispersed to the poor.
Who will find the deep waters,
Will draw from her wisdom and seek her treasures.

And the egg is inscribed:
S-C-H-N-E-U-R-Z-A-L-M-A-N

Like a dove the Queen sat on the egg
And out came
Birds’ heads -
And they are Schneur Zalman's own flesh.

Mendelovitch:
Hear me for I had dreamed the fire and the smoke
And the Queen bore me an infant!

Chicks:
Schlep! Schlep!

Chicks squealing in nomadic tongues
Gaining knowledge and mocking all,
The terror
And the pit.


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