Wait

Bombs burst, exploding, guns unloading,
Whole cities, families crack, imploding
While life and hope corrode. We grope
In darkness, begging for a rope
We might cling to. Send us a wing
To lift us, something, anything,
Upon which we might sail. We’re frail,
And thick and heavy is the veil
That overlies our cries. Our eyes
Weep bitterly and agonize
Over the one who’d turn a womb
Into a tomb, who would presume
To take God’s place, who uses race,
Religion, gender as a case
For his superiority.
He is his own authority.
His god is gold; his belly’s hold
Is strong. His pride is his blindfold.
In all he does he justifies
His sin with lies that legalize
His murderous appetite. His words
Reduce mankind to clomping herds
Of animals. Therefore he kills
For fleeting thrills, does as he wills,
And downward spins the world in flame
While to the heavens rises shame—
All for his own name’s glory. Low
We bend beneath the row. We throw
Our faces to the ground, all sound
Smothered by dirt, our wailing drowned
Out by the din of guns and bombs.
Then he draws near, his holy palms
Nail pierced, his side still open wide
Whence rushed an endless, grace-filled tide
For all mankind. “I have inclined
My ear to you, dear one, assigned
My might and love to safeguard you.
Though I don’t speak, don’t misconstrue
My silence as contempt. I’ve spoken
Already, given you a token,
A proof, that I feel every blast
That might afflict you, has harassed
You. Every bullet wound I know.
I’ve felt it. I, too, walked below
Upon the blackened earth. My birth
Was fraught with pain, hardship, and dearth.
My whole life long were men constraining,
Profaning me. How vain maintaining
My hope felt all those years! The tears
Streamed down my cheeks. I, too, felt fears
That threatened to undo my hope.
I, too, know what it is to grope
In darkness, abandoned by God,
Run over by his holy rod,
While enemies applaud untouched.
That doesn’t answer ‘Why you?’ Such
Answers I’ve not promised. Instead
I promise to stand with you, tread
The fire, wade into the mire,
Absorb the brunt of evil’s ire.
And when the bombs and guns are stilled,
When children are no longer killed,
When evil men no longer boast
That their skin tone makes them foremost,
When every living soul is seen
Not as a beast but living being
Created by the God of all—
And come it will, I will not stall—
When that day comes with angels’ drums,
I’ll stand up out of all the slums
In which I’ve long since crouched beside
My bride. She’s sighed for so long, cried,
But now no more. Just as I rose
Up, vanquished all my foes, God knows,
My bride, my wife, will taste new life
And cast off every earth-bound strife
The day I give her her great prize,
My righteousness. I’ll rend the skies,
Stand up, pick her up; we’ll sup
Around my Father’s table, cup
Of new wine in our hands, the bread
Of life upon the table spread.
In life, my pain. In death, death slain.
Now clothed in white with me she’ll reign
On high, no sigh, no fears, no tears,
No doom, no tomb, no end of years,
No gunshots, no exploding bombs,
Just children resting in my palms
Forever, then a little more.
They’ll soar, you’ll see, for I’ll restore
Their wings. The one who wept now sings,
And as he does from my heart springs
Pure joy. And justice? I’ll destroy
Both death and those who did employ
Death for their ends. I’ll surely thrust
The unjust out, turn them to dust,
Sprinkle their ashes in the flame
That’s never quenched. I will proclaim
Them cursed for all eternity
Apart from me. Then all will see
My children never walked alone.
I heard, recorded every groan,
For I was ever with them. Hope!
I’m with you though you cry and grope
In darkness now, no rope to cling
To, so it seems, though sharp’s the sting
Of Satan’s darts upon your heart
And night seems never to depart.
One sure day I will bring to pass
The promises I made to grass
That lives today, the next day dies.
I’ll raise each flower to the skies.
They’ll live forever. Death will die,
And so will those who caused each sigh.
I’ll do it. I promise I will.
For now, I’m with you. Hush, be still,
And wait. I’ve guaranteed your fate.
Their bombs, guns will fall silent. Wait.”