August 13-15, 2019

barren landscape

dry, brutal, hopeless

hate has its home here

this place where death lives

on this ragged faced mountain

gives its voice to angry screams

thrown along willing throats

hurling curse and insult

laughter and scorn

upon three men

unmoving

dying

death

this hate fuelled mob’s

center

they yell

they taunt

they mock

waiting for men to die

watching the weight of their sin

push them into their graves

laughing

as ebbing lives

unhide death’s horrific shoal

unconcerned

their own lives ebbing

hate is rampant

on this bleak and lifeless rock

above these empty caves

it smiles joylessly

as death draws close

collects its due

at the center of hate

three men

helpless and naked

die

slowly, painfully, cruelly

anguish streaks their bodies

every ragged breath

a desperate struggle to live

even a little bit longer

life clings

with a rip-out-the-finger-nails grip

against this cliff face of hate

futility’s hopeless despair

tormenting the tortured souls

slowly losing their fight

before it ends, one

staring death down

as were a thing tangible

come close enough to seize

desperately fights a foe

too quickly overcoming life

hopelessly bears a pain

too slowly finishing its task

this one begs The Man beside

to be remembered

when He enters His kingdom

(stark counterpoint to the other

who also dies

yet scorns the Life so near beside)

one desperate lunge

at a life just now seen

hoping against all odds

to land in His care

waiting

in death’s tightening grip

for His answer

“Today you

will be with Me

in Paradise”

and death loses its power

has lost its hold on him

he knows His promise

though he will die

yet he will live

with Him!

victory!

Life from the very jaws of death

Victory!

Love defeats relentless hate

VICTORY!

faith overcoming death

even here

where death has its home