Lazarus Poem by Charles Darnell

Lazarus

Rating: 5.0


Ah Jesus! You do me no favors!
You give me life, but not my life!
You raise me up, what am I to do?
You are borne away with the crowd,
Shouting hosannas as you go,
Like the retreating tide
Pulls pebbles from the shore.

I am like shells on the sand.
Empty, hard husk, standing out for the curious,
But I shall not be picked up by wondering hands.
Those who know me, loved me, know me not now.
I am not the phoenix reborn with youth and soaring strength,
Just Lazarus, already tottering to my second tomb.

Those who loved me, wept with joy with my return.
How soon before the side-long glances reveal
The recollection that those little sins
They know I know were resurrected too?
How soon before the happy embrace
Is replaced by distance carefully maintained
As if the death-stink was still on me?

I see my future years ahead,
The unnatural soul moving alone
Through my unnatural days.

My God, my God,
Why have you forsaken me?

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
This poem previous appeared in Voices Along the River,2009
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Valerie Dohren 19 May 2013

Deep and powerful, very well written, and a great read.

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Bri Edwards 26 June 2017

Charles, i would like to place this (actually, the link to this) into my/our July 2017's 'a showcase for and by PH poets'. i shall take it from MyPoemList now and put it 'into' the showcase. let me know if this is not to your liking; i would then remove it. bri :) thanks

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Bri Edwards 18 August 2015

favorite lines: “ How soon before the side-long glances reveal The recollection that those little sins They know I know were resurrected too? How soon before the happy embrace Is replaced by distance carefully maintained As if the death-stink was still on me? ” well I see I read and commented a couple of years ago. you may read the 1st comment again; I did. :) these lines again: “The recollection that those little sins They know I know were resurrected too? ” …… … the structure of these was a little difficult for me to get ahold of. but once I (think) I did, I liked them. it would have helped me if you put “which” in front of “They”. I would send to MyPoemList again, but is it necessary? ! I will include it (gladly) in the August showcase for PH poets on my PH site. a great [did I say that? ] poem. bri :)

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Bri Edwards 04 July 2013

unlike in a couple of other comments below, i do not believe this poem is deep and powerful...... well, i don't mean to say it is shallow or weak either. i do like it very much and plan to add it to my poemlist. there, i just did. and i don't think lazarus is reborn or stands as a miracle (well, maybe a miracle) . ok, maybe reborn as well, but not to his liking. he is saddled with his past and with the stigma of having been a corpse to view before jesus came along and, i guess, made an example out of him. i haven't heard the story in a long time. i wonder if the bible actually tells the story of lazarus as you tell it. i guess i could check. i like your story a lot. well done. and the twist.....look who has FORSAKEN WHOM.... is very insightful, imaginative, or whatever. i especially liked: Like the retreating tide Pulls pebbles from the shore. and: already tottering to my second tomb. thanks for sharing.

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Heather Wilkins 26 May 2013

a good verse about Lazarus. to be reborn and stand again a miracle.

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Wahab Abdul 19 May 2013

wonderful, i know, this one is your strong write, the pain and agony of LAZARUS have been depicted in the poem with much force in the following lines....I am like shells on the sand. Empty, hard husk, standing out for the curious, But I shall not be picked up by wondering hands. Those who know me, loved me, know me not now. I am not the phoenix reborn with youth and soaring strength, Just Lazarus, already tottering to my second tomb................................i like it very much, , ,10/10

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Charles Darnell

Charles Darnell

St Martinsville, Louisiana
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