The False Prophetess Noadiah

by Julie L. Moore

   ~ Nehemiah 6: 10-14

You know what you need to do: 

Listen to the man. 

I admire your dedication, but Shemaiah’s 

not the only one who’s prophesied 

your death. I have seen it, too: sword 

swung through your neck! 

So come to the temple with us, 

Nehemiah. The holy place will keep you 

safe from other nations’ plans 

to destroy you. (Save yourself!) 

There, we will settle the dispute, 

quell the people’s fears, 

hang on to what we need most. 

Let go the rest—the law enables you. 

Adonai promises he’ll be your refuge. 

You know this is true. 

Don’t bring the city to its knees.  

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A Best of the Net and seven-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Julie L. Moore is the author of four poetry collections, including, most recently, Full Worm Moon, which won a 2018 Woodrow Hall Top Shelf Award and received honorable mention for the Conference on Christianity and Literature's 2018 Book of the Year Award. Her poetry has appeared in African American Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, Image, New Ohio Review, Poetry Daily, Prairie Schooner, The Southern Review, and Verse Daily. She is the Writing Center Director at Taylor University, where she is also the poetry editor for Relief Journal. Learn more about her work at julielmoore.com.