I thought it may be refferring to Shakespere's tragedy "Othello".
Othello is a well respected military commander in the play, but is usurped and back stabbed because he is a black man with power. I know that "Moor" means swamp, but in the play, people refer to Othello as a Moor as a derogatory term about his skin colour. In relation to this, the first two verses could be Othello's return from battle.
This verse:
"I was foul and tainted, devoid of faith
Wearing my death-mask at birth
The hands of God, decrepit and thin
Cold caress and then nothing
I was taken away from my plight
A treason bestowed to the crowd
Branded a jonah with fevered blood
Ungodly freak, defiler"
Could be Othello taking a subjective look at himself, how the common people think he is a freak and ungodly, of lesser blood, the "death mask" perhaps being his skin.
It's just an idea, I myself don't believe this but I can kind of interpret it as this.
I thought it may be refferring to Shakespere's tragedy "Othello".
Othello is a well respected military commander in the play, but is usurped and back stabbed because he is a black man with power. I know that "Moor" means swamp, but in the play, people refer to Othello as a Moor as a derogatory term about his skin colour. In relation to this, the first two verses could be Othello's return from battle.
This verse:
"I was foul and tainted, devoid of faith Wearing my death-mask at birth The hands of God, decrepit and thin Cold caress and then nothing I was taken away from my plight A treason bestowed to the crowd Branded a jonah with fevered blood Ungodly freak, defiler"
Could be Othello taking a subjective look at himself, how the common people think he is a freak and ungodly, of lesser blood, the "death mask" perhaps being his skin.
It's just an idea, I myself don't believe this but I can kind of interpret it as this.