Martyr

Deep blue eyes,
Filled with an ocean
Of unshed tears.

"Crown him, if he be the King!
Crown the King of the Jews!"
Sweat and blood blur the vision.

Long wavy brown tendrils
Fall gently about
His strong shoulders.

White robes torn away!
Humanity humiliated!
The sun shines off bare skin.

Feet that have walked 1,000 miles,
Left footprints in the sand,
And led the lost to safety.

Oh, what a burden is this!
The world's sins are carried upon this shoulder!
Wooden splinters burrow through flesh.

Rough carpenter's hands,
Hands that have healed the sick,
Hands that have broken bread one last time.

Searing pain!
The world flashes red!
The nails are driven in.

Gentle lover's lips,
Through which much wisdom
Has passed and will pass again.

"Forgive them, Father!
They know not what they do!"
Flesh and wood meet the sky.

Tender white face,
White as a dove,
Yet sad and somber now.

Metal pierces flesh!
Red on white!
Blood fills the grail.

Enchanted is his voice,
The sound of forgiveness,
The music of understanding.

"Take me, Father!"
Body dies, spirit escapes!
The savior ascends.

Notes

I wrote this right after "Heavenly Parents" for a college creative writing class. Since I went to a private Catholic grade school and high school while growing up, I know a lot about that particular faith. This poem is supposed to mirror some of the Stations of the Cross and therefore is obviously about Jesus. Yes, I do realize that Jesus was probably did not have fair skin and blue eyes, but following the usual tradition, I decided to use that description of him anyway.