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A Prophecy the East Fulfilled

The year 1999, seventh month,
From the sky will come a great King of Terror:
To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols,
Before and after Mars to reign by good luck.

—Nostradamus, Century X, Quatrain 72

Falun Gong was banned by the Chinese Communist
Party on July 20, 1999

Though Nostradamus left a warning, it went by
Above our heads—A king of terror, last in line,
Would come, the seventh month of 1999,
The ghost of Marx, evoking Mars, to vivify.

One hand spreads fear, the other hate by way of lies.
To rule within all minds beneath the blood-red flag,
It wakens primal drives that lead and even drag
In fights the closest; each thus envies, plots and vies.

Such reign’s by chance, all brought about by human flaws,
Dark, foolish thoughts and deeds. The deep divide,
Diabolos, is planted thus where wisdom’s died;
It’s hazard’s toll, since one sees no transcendent cause.

The red one’s war is waged with truth and faith, to make
The world forsake the Lord so He’ll forsake the world.
Campaigns of violent words and actions have unfurled
To crush all righteous faiths so people’s souls would break.

It’s why the kind and truthful hearts of Falun Gong
Are not embraced but met with chains and knives
By those who rule so they’d ensure what’s wicked thrives,
As specters preach what’s wrong as right and right as wrong.

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Daniel Magdalen is a doctoral student in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Bucharest, in Romania.

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4 Responses

  1. Margaret Coats

    A thought-provoking interpretation of the prophecy: wisdom opposed by violent hatred that seems to arise by chance. The poem is most profound when you write, “The red one’s war is waged with truth and faith, to make/The world forsake the Lord so He’ll forsake the world.” “Those who rule” on behalf of wickedness have the transcendent Lord as ultimate enemy.

    Reply
  2. Cheryl Corey

    Although some speculate that Nostradamus had a scrying mirror, while others denounce his writings as fakery, his quatrains remain intriguing. Your fourth stanza is my favorite. Thanks, Daniel.

    Reply

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