Author's Notes:  This is a "Tanka" or a Japanese verse form write on the subject of "Lucifer." I chose this subject because I've touched on the forces of both Good and Evil in a number of poems I've written in the past and in my first published book. Lucifer (more commonly called now "The Devil," "Satan," or "The Dark One") was, of course, the Almighty God's fallen angel. Before his fall from grace, he was so anointed by the Lord God to dwell eternally in the throne room of Heaven in the very presence of God Himself. Most of us know the rest of the story: Lucifer's wisdom far exceeded that of the other angels and he knew well the ways of God Himself. In seeking total perfection, Lucifer began to jealously covet the very power on high of the Lord Himself. Putting his quest for absolute vanity and perfection before being humble and penitent was the beginning of his downfall with God. He was accordingly cast out of Heaven by God and was stripped of his beauty, heavenly sacraments, and powers. He thus became a symbol of false perfection and evil, and a tempter and deceiver of Mankind. Since I write my Tanka's in mutually exclusive pairs now, my next one will focus on the Almighty Lord God Himself; that is, if I discuss an evil topic in one Tanka, then I will then counter it with a discussion of something holy and good in the other Tanka. (Gary Bateman - June 5, 2015) (Tanka)  

Categories:  allegory, dark, evil, heaven, introspection, judgement, and mythology.  

Syllable Grouping:  5-7-5-7-7 = 31 Syllables; Total Lines (Verses) = 5; Total Words = 19. 

("How Many Syllables Counter" was used for syllable confirmation for both automated and manual syllable counts and cross-check.)