Monday, March 18, 2013

simon

SIMON
 
 
HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE TEMPLE
WEARING HIS BEST GOING TO THE TEMPLE CLOTHES
WHEN HIS WAY WAS BLOCKED
 
A POOR MAN
CARRYING A CROSS
TO HIS DEATH
 
HAD FALLEN
THE SOLDIERS
WERE WHIPPING HIM TO RISE
 
CLEVER
 
WHEN HE DIDN’T
A SOLDIER LOOKED INTO THE CROWD
 
PERHAPS
 BECAUSE I WAS DRESSED
BETTER THAN MOST
 
HE PICKED ME
 
YOU THERE
BLACK MAN
CARRY HIS CROSS
 
NOW IN THE LAND WE LIVED IN
SOLDIERS CARRIED ABOUT THEM
THE STINK OF DEATH
 
IF I DIDN’T HELP THE MAN
I’D BE DEAD
AND THEY’D PICK ANOTHER
 
THEY PUT THE CROSS ON OUR SHOULDERS
BUT I CARRIED IT IN SUCH A WAY
PROTECTING MY CLOTHES
THAT I PUT THE BURDEN ON HIM
HE FELL

 
THEY PUT THE CROSS ON MY SHOULDER
LETTING THE UNFORTUNATE ONE WALK
TOTTER REALLY
FOR SOON HE FELL AGAIN
 
I WAS ANGRY
BECAUSE MY CLOTHES WERE RUINED
 
I WAS ANGRY
BECAUSE MY VISIT TO THE TEMPLE WAS RUINED
 
I A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MAN
FORCED TO HELP
PERHAPS SOME COMMON CRIMINAL
 
BUT AS HE FELL
HE LOOKED AT ME
AND I THOUGHT I HEARD
WHISPERING IN MY EAR
 
TZA'AR BA'ALEI CHAYIM
ANIMALS AND MAN
SHOULD NOT SUFFER NEEDLESSLY
 
DOES YOUR PRAYERS HAVE MEANING
DOES YOUR FAITH HAVE MEANING
 
I HEARD IT IN SPITE OF THE CROWD NOISE
BUT NO ONE WAS NEAR
 
I PUT THE CROSS DOWN
AND WENT TO HELP HIM
FEARING THE WHIP
 
THERE WAS NO CLEAN WAY TO HELP HIM
HE WAS COVERED WITH BLOOD
SPIT
ANIMAL DUNG
 
I EMBRACED HIM WHOLLY
AND LIFTED HIM TO HIS FEET
THE CIRCLET OF THORNS ON HIS HEAD
CATCHING MY CLOTHES

 
WHEN WE REACHED THE PLACE OF EXECUTION
THE SOLDIERS SAID BEAT IT
I DID
 
SOME WOMEN SOUGHT ME OUT
AND THANKED ME
 
I DIDN’T THINK I HAD DONE ANYTHING NOBLE
BUT AFTER MY IRRITATION HAD VANISHED
JUST HELPING ANOTHER BEING
 
 
FRANK A VOLLMER

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