A Conversation With a Roman Citizen

[Imagine this talk is coming from a Roman news reporter who is describing to a group of citizens on the town square wanting to know what is going on and why there is turmoil in their city. This story comes directly from the Bible and is an inspiration for myself and many Christians.] It’s happening right now on the town square, I just came from there, It was a terrible sight to see, They’re nailing some guy to a tree. It looks like they beat him to death, The poor man can barely take a breath, They jammed a crown of thorns on his head, It looks like he is almost dead. He claims to be the King of the Jews, Have you heard his radical views? He says we do not have to die, How can this be true? It must be a lie. They said Pilate tried to set him free, But the high priest would not let that be, So Pilate washed his hands of this mess, Because he found no wrongs confessed. There are two others with him on the hill, All three they plan to kill, The two criminals I understand why, But this Rabbi should not have to die. Most of his friends cannot be found, Someone said they must have fled town, His Mother and a few are at his feet, They followed him up the bloody street. There is a sign nailed above his head, “King of the Jews” is what it read, The Messiah is what you claim to be, Save yourself, come down, set your self free. A soldier said his final time has come, He is asking God to forgive everyone, He said “God why have you forsaken me?” Looking towards Heaven as if to see. Guards are throwing dice for his clothes, There is no pity for him God knows, Struggling to speak, “It is finished” he said, He finally laid down his head. The day turned to night; the ground began to shake, Graves are opening, the dead are awake, People are afraid and running around, They pierced his side and pulled him down. Shouts in the temple, the curtain is torn in two, The elders and priests now know what is true, Just then I heard the centurion say, “This truly was a Holy man we killed today. A conversation with a fictional character Poetry Contest Sponsored by: Natasha L. Scragg 2/3/22