Tell Me Who Do You Say That I Am

oh my Good Lord for Christ’s sake who have you become

a well-known carpenter who suffered on his own cross

put nails in his own coffin a shepherd who lost to his flock

beggar man in rags once caring and sharing kindness and love

so the story goes but you caved in to prolonged abuse

misrepresented disavowed on the altar of religious deceit

you presided over wars subjugation poverty and holocaust

must have cried thousands of tears in horrible agony

dying all over the planet again once more and forever



they made you a star a celebrity icon poster boy idol

forgot in the process that actions shout louder than words

attached hypocrisy bigotry philistine culture to your name

now you dwell unrecognisably in bourgeoise falsification

in a shallow grave of history that spits on your genius


you were once so great had such wonderful ambition

so much so that if you had not existed we’d have created

a human being with such vision to ease self-imposed pain 

your thorny crown has wilted on the spread sheet of time


a relic and artifact an illustration of vast compassion 

we lost you in the fields of Flanders on our crusades

in the chambers of Auschwitz when we showed truths

about humankind and the punitive evil of our souls


yet a statue of the Madonna rests next to a lean Buddha

on the fireplace surround in my heart and the hearth

hellfire maybe but I have not forgotten your meaning


04th Amy 2021

Tell Me, Who Do You Say That I Am Poetry Contest

Sponsor Mystic Rose Rose
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

Poem

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Flaherty Avatar
May 20, 2021 at 5:58 PM
Also wrote and dedicated a poem to you Mnr in regards to your biography comment Critical of Dogma called This 1 is Dedicated to for you KMN. I hope you find it alright or ok as it inspired me and touched a nerve left it ambiguous and your full name out just incase you didn't.
Flaherty Avatar
May 20, 2021 at 5:21 PM
I wrote a poem called Surreal Star's Visceral Dreams. If you get a chance to check it out please will take the time to read it please Michael. It's one of my favorite memories of my time in S.A. Can't wait for the Lion's v Boks Saam met a lekker braai , chop and crate of castles
Flaherty Avatar
May 21, 2021 at 11:55 AM
Cheers Kai you can find it my mate if you click on or under my best of poems it's inbetween there somewhere
Neumann Avatar
May 21, 2021 at 7:15 AM
I can't find that poem of yours. When did you post it? I have moved on to Spain with my South African wife. Cannot wait tos visit friends and family again, once the travel restrictions are lifted.
Flaherty Avatar
May 20, 2021 at 5:03 PM
Class Kai Just clicked on your biography after reading your rugby poem. Love you work and now relate to it with even greater depth . Many similarities Bru
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