Prologue Scripture
from A TERRACE ON THE
TOWER OF BABEL:
August 1995
At the same time spake the Lord . . . saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot.
And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
Isaiah 20:2
the other Scriptures:
The Scripture
In writing A TERRACE ON THE TOWER OF BABEL, I felt forced to similarly, figuratively expose myself. In order to tell the unquestioned truths of the events of this story, it had to come from an unquestioned source: the factual thought patterns and desires of the individual. Regardless of whether they are judged moral, immoral, or amoral; they are simply what they are. And this was the source I needed to make the reader suspend all prejudiced disbelief in order to listen with their hearts to a tale that was not always pleasant to hear, let alone tell. So digging down into the basic thoughts of each character’s mind and further into their desires – the intents of the heart – required that I examine my own as well. And often painfully so. I knew my own shame and nakedness would appear as each character was stripped down to their innermost levels. I also suspected, that the outcomes of each would form their own prophecy which may or may not be welcome depending on the nature of the listener. So I began the novel, walking forth naked and barefoot . . .
Isaiah 20:2
from the KJV of the Holy Bible seemed to the author a fitting opening for A TERRACE ON THE TOWER OF BABEL; especially introducing the raw scene of thePrologue: "Sal Si Puedes"
. The Biblical citation refers to time when the Lord God asked the prophet Isaiah to walk stripped before the people as a sign against the Egyptians and Ethiopians who were soon to be carried away captive by the Assyrian armies unclothed, with no possessions but their shame.In writing A TERRACE ON THE TOWER OF BABEL, I felt forced to similarly, figuratively expose myself. In order to tell the unquestioned truths of the events of this story, it had to come from an unquestioned source: the factual thought patterns and desires of the individual. Regardless of whether they are judged moral, immoral, or amoral; they are simply what they are. And this was the source I needed to make the reader suspend all prejudiced disbelief in order to listen with their hearts to a tale that was not always pleasant to hear, let alone tell. So digging down into the basic thoughts of each character’s mind and further into their desires – the intents of the heart – required that I examine my own as well. And often painfully so. I knew my own shame and nakedness would appear as each character was stripped down to their innermost levels. I also suspected, that the outcomes of each would form their own prophecy which may or may not be welcome depending on the nature of the listener. So I began the novel, walking forth naked and barefoot . . .
