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