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Spiritual Journeys #2
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Aurelian
Member
since 2007-03-20
Posts 109
TX, USA

0 posted 2007-03-26 07:58 AM


                    I

The man spoke upward, to the cloud-wrapped sky
His heart intent to pierce that mystery
Held above the fog-veil, above the rain
“Who are you Power that holds time in thrall?
O Mighty Undergirder of all things?”
The silent skies echoed back the question
A small breath of wind brushing past his face
   An old worn man tottered by and muttered:
“God is far from us. He has departed
Beyond the skies, hiding his face from men.”
The man turned from the sky and spoke down into
The worn and cracked potsherd of the dead earth
“Time grinds on, and we, the fallen, are crushed
In its turning gears, the spinning years whirl
By and leave nothing but dry husks behind
-There is no off on this churning treadmill.”

                 II

Then came the rising tide of a mad crowd
Flowing down the dusty road to the Hill.
Eyes flaming like the torches of Hades
They eddied in filthy whirlpools around
A Man stooped under a great beam of wood.
Crushed between the gears of the angry mob
That spit into his torn and shredded face.
  Then the man on the roadside joined the throng
Wending a jeering way up to The Skull.
Where three crosses stood, with three dying men.  
The Man - lifted over the festering mob
-Naked- a spectacle for passerby.
And then from the temple road there passed by
Lord Caiaphas, he tipped his shapely head
To survey the body hanging above.
With cool eye - while the Man twisted in knots
Of pain, sent a cry from his tortured throat
Spinning outward into the darkening air.

                 III

“The veil is now complete,” said the watching
Man from the roadside, “The sun has hidden
Its face - the grinding shall never now end
But we all shall be caught and crushed between.”
Midnight at midday and not even sky
To remember by – thick and private night
Sealed each watcher in a cell of musing,
Dim fires glowed red from the darkened city
   And then the last rending cry from the Man,
As those great gears rattled the cracking earth,
Caught and crushed the rocks to jagged pebbles.
Then came the shriek of a tearing veil
And the man on the road looked up to see
- The torn and bloody form hung from that beam -
And then as the great gears stopped forever, saw:
Shining through the rents in that veil of flesh
Heaven-light pouring from an opened sky.

The word "flesh" in the last line is supposed to be italicized, but I didn't know how to post it that way.

[This message has been edited by Nan (03-26-2007 09:59 AM).]

© Copyright 2007 Joshua R. Tindell - All Rights Reserved
Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191
Cape Cod Massachusetts USA
1 posted 2007-03-26 10:04 AM


I enjoy the consistently upbeat mode of your work.  Nicely done..

(You're italicized now)..

Aurelian
Member
since 2007-03-20
Posts 109
TX, USA
2 posted 2007-03-26 04:48 PM


Thanks!

Aurelian
Member
since 2007-03-20
Posts 109
TX, USA
3 posted 2007-04-21 12:41 PM


Is it possible to move this one to the "critical analysis" thread? I posted it here on accident.
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