Veil Of Veronica { At The Sixth Station Of The Cross } Poem by Frank James Ryan Jr...fjr

Veil Of Veronica { At The Sixth Station Of The Cross } - Poem by Frank James Ryan Jr (FjR)


Ever so fragilely..........He pushed Himself forward
Carrying +h' laboring Cross.......of Sacred Wood
Carving deep cut impressions, upon His shoulder
Dark blood raining on His pale....pain-winced face
Blighting His eye's as He negotiated......... +h Path

Quietly moving along side +h' dusted road...alone
Yet, surrounded by a conclave of Caesar's puppets
Gathering to watch a Man carry a Cross......an' Die
Celebrate with sweet wine.......as +h' Man is nailed
An' Crucified....raise their bloody goblets...in cheer

+h'woman stood statued, draped in eggshell white
thickly veiled, so's not +o be marked by +h' crowd
Yet despite the dark shroud...occluding her visage
Her marrow shook....as +h' Cross bearer passed her
Ne're once breaking stride, she felt His eyes on her

And, as He passed she felt +h' pain upon His face
Then He stumbled, fell to +h' rock turf....laid there
Breathing hard....+hru' +h' pour of blood an' sweat
+h' Man did not see her....as she ran towards Him
While +h' crowd glared at +h' woman with disdain

She first called out to Him.....+hen pushed her way
Past +h' armed soldier's in defiance of consequence
+hen scrambled to +h' Man, an' kneeling a+ His feet
She handed Him a fresh white cloth....and she wept
Rising, He wiped +h' red sweat, black crusted blood

+h' Man nodded, and +thanking her with His eyes-
Placed +h' stained cloth gently into her open hand's
+hen, without a word, soldiered on...leaving behind
+his woman, her tear's and cloth.......of dripping red
+hen to her Heart she clutched +h cloth with her life

An' as +his Man drifted from her sight....+h' woman
+ook +h cloth, began to unfurl it....+o refreshen I+
But as she did her hands an' legs...began +o tremble
She pulled +h' long, thick veil from her shadowed face
She had +o see +hat her eye's had not been deceived

She lifted +h' cloth high....to +h' afternoon sunbreak
Again...she trembled at +h' sight that lay before her
For upon this cloth so soaked in human blood stain
Bore +h' image of '+h' Face'........who bore +h' Cross
And, +her' be Chapter and Verse +o mark this claim

And, Veronica, whose life would be forever blest.



© Frank James Ryan, Jr.
MMXV-All Rights Reserved