We may hear some Bible phrase and laugh.
__That book has no monopoly on ‘goods’.
Some words clang, we tip its old tin bath
__and out rolls “Baby Jesus” with the suds.
Like cliqué’d, much-repeated, ringtone rings
__whose lyricisms lessen with their use,
these old-time, evangelic heraldings
__are squeezed of meaning in the modern noose.
Yet clumps of Testament have been proved fact.
__We know that tortured Jewish Christ did live.
Despite becoming wounded, mocked, and cracked,
__he had profound and sound advice to give.
Recited words can be debased though true.
Some quoted ones sound hollow — dulled, not new;
__or bloated out in passioned fever pitch.
Others, simply said, are pure right through.
__It’s up to us to fathom which is which.
Damian Robin lives in England where he works for an international newspaper and lives with his wife and three children.
LORD JESUS CHRIEST
1. A newest era dawned whence born was Jesus Chriest!
As shivered gloomy sins oh virtue-flowers bloomed!
On showering nectrous winter dew; the earth did feast
and humans felt a curious thrust of Godly boom.
2. Whence sing his songs, whence praise his name, hallelujah, hallelujah,
veins throb with sacred joy, nerves twang like Veena strings
and oh mind swings in silent mirth! Hallelujah, hallelujah!
O’ Chriest, thinking of thee, love flights on golden wings!!
3. That holy man in pallid robes from Nazareth
became a thorn in sinners flesh! They condemned him
to death through Pharaoh’s nails and crucified oh. But ruth
is Godhead’s other name and love his brimming whim!
4. On lips that told that king isn’t God…a nail;
two stabbing nails on palms that mopped the tears
of suffering churls; on feet that blessed the frail
plebians; piercing painful nails, a pair;
on haloed head, that made the asterisks pale,
one brutal, burly nail…oh nails, that dared
into his body fragile! Nail, oh nails,
those wicked nails, became his mortal gear,
and gore that oozed from wounds anointed him
as Lord of Lord of world and Savior
of those abused and bruised in savage realms
and heard were angels’ mourns from sky in choirs!
Exploded a billion gayots
in me oh watching that and choked was throat!
“Others, simply said, are pure right through.”
I’ve read this multiple times now and keep coming back to that line.