Sorrowful Mystery - #5 - Crucifixion And Death Poem by Carmela Patterson

They take me off His shoulders and lay me down on the ground and throw this man upon me, stripped of everything except a simple cloth to cover His body.

They stretch his arms across the shorter crossbar and pound nails into each Hand.

I hear His cries of pain and I want to cry with Him because they are also nailing me.

Then they take His feet, cross them, pull them, and with all of their force again pound nails into His feet and into me.

O His cries torture me.

We are hiked up and with great force dropped into the hole they have dug and His body is rended with even greater force and tortuous pain and He gives a loud cry which is more than anyone can bear to hear.

I feel His flesh, his warm blood ooze down and across my width and length.

They have also nailed a sign above His head…mocking Him with the words, 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.'

Slowly I feel His flesh become cold and His blood conjeal.

His breathing is labored and after several hours an end is drawing nigh.

I hear Him utter His last breath, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

My purpose for being is a sign for the many.

Soon friends will come to take Him down from me.

I see the tears of His friends and His Mother who has agonized much for love of her Son, Jesus.

Here I stand, once a proud tree, now a SIGN of this SACRIFICIAL LAMB.


© Mel Patterson,2004