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That Afternoon The Sky Emptied To Darkness
[Inspired by dove's poem, "When The Stars Went Missing"]
Silence weighed heavily on the air,
but certainly not because of its choice.
Around Jerusalem you have a fair
amount of random, ambient noise.
Tomorrow, the Sabbath; today, much work
remains to be done before nightfall.
Yet here it was, as if time gave a jerk
to yank the day into a full stall.
Twelve hours ago, a conspiracy
came to a head from three years' strife,
and seized a rabbi from Galilee,
and put him in jeopardy of his life.
False witnesses' false testimony,
and three skewed trials could not provide
facts to support a charge that is phony.
Yet, that Rabbi is crucified.
Despite the darkness, I think I can see
through small distance to the brow of stone
where the crosses are planted---today just three.
Rome wants no man to die alone.
Like a beast, a crucified man will cry
and no one, watching, much gives a damn.
But the Servant of God (so some prophecy)
will die in silence, like a lamb.
I do not know where the night's stars went,
or why sun and moon, each, fled from its place
above. But that stone brow's current event
makes even me want to hide my face.
Starward
[jlc]
