"Testament"
(composed 1993 December 23)
One man loves the world, and so is doomed to die.
Two cross-bars form a "T"
  Where they nail him to the tree.
Three days spent in the tomb
  Sodden earth as second womb
  While others hide in upper room.
Four riders passing by
  Going forth to indict and try
  Seeing all with baleful eye
  In their wake the ruins lie.
Five hounds gather round
  And howl at the awful sound
  That issues forth from fissured ground
  And from each wall makes sharp resound,
  "Ev'ry buried evil has now been found!"
Six zephyrs now burst out
  As if from some titan's mighty shout
  And scour clean without a doubt
  All that lies along their route
  The ships asea they toss about
  And then they break the strong redoubt.
Seven angels each blare their horn
  And usher in the dreadful morn.
  Only ashcloth now is worn.
  Every face is now forlorn.
  Every power is crowned with thorn.
  Every mother from her babe is torn.
  And every plea is met with scorn.
Eight stars have fell to earth
  None now to mark a virgin birth.
  No gloom is lifted by bit mirth.
  No fires burn in cozy hearth.
  No candles lit to fill the death.
  No light at all in world's wide girth.
  In darkness fitting we will unearth
  That darkness only is our worth.
Nine rings there are in hell
  And every one we fill right well
  With every untruth that we tell
  With every insult that we yell
  With every misdeed foul and fell
  With each sweet cry of "Infidel!"
  With every sin we buy and sell
  We cause the legions of the damned to swell
  Until we hear the clamor of the bell.
But...  
   
One man loves the world, and so perchance we rise.

Voices In the Wilderness

A Web-based Literary Journal (Voices Home) (ubidubium.net)