Epiphany!
By Tim Russ
Another man to hang today.
The sickness never ends.
He’ll hang between the other two,
they must have been his friends.
We drive the nails into his flesh.
Somehow, he doesn’t scream.
We raise the cross into its place,
His blood flows down the beam.
I watch him press to raise himself.
Three hours he fights for breath.
I’ve seen this dance so many times.
It always ends in death.
My men cast lots to gain his clothes.
The people stand and pray.
They press in close around his cross
to hear what he might say.
They weep and wail and stand their ground.
My men must push them back!
Suddenly the flash appears.
I hear the lightning’s crack.
“Father please forgive them for
they know not what they do.”
His words ring out, crash on my ears,
I know that they are true.
He turns toward me, his final look.
He smiles at me, he nods.
“Surely this, a righteous man,
was Just, the Son of God!”
By Tim Russ
Another man to hang today.
The sickness never ends.
He’ll hang between the other two,
they must have been his friends.
We drive the nails into his flesh.
Somehow, he doesn’t scream.
We raise the cross into its place,
His blood flows down the beam.
I watch him press to raise himself.
Three hours he fights for breath.
I’ve seen this dance so many times.
It always ends in death.
My men cast lots to gain his clothes.
The people stand and pray.
They press in close around his cross
to hear what he might say.
They weep and wail and stand their ground.
My men must push them back!
Suddenly the flash appears.
I hear the lightning’s crack.
“Father please forgive them for
they know not what they do.”
His words ring out, crash on my ears,
I know that they are true.
He turns toward me, his final look.
He smiles at me, he nods.
“Surely this, a righteous man,
was Just, the Son of God!”
Copyright © 2007 Tim Russ. All rights reserved.