The Wages Of Sin Poem by Jeremy Nel

She came in darkness, seeking contrition
Stole quietly upon me, terrifying apparition!
Bewoe! Bewoe!
The wages of sin! Reap what you sow!
Repent! Repent!
Ere it be too late!
Read the sins upon your slate!

My heart raced at quite a beat
Fear gripped my stomach into a knot
The apparition’s stormy bleat
Was it meant for me or not?
My mouth was dry, parched by my fear
As here the terrifying apparition drew near
Closer, blazing eyes wresting from mine a tear of fear

Then she was gone
In just a moment
Leaving behind just me, all alone
Knowing not why she was sent
To bear to me her miserly wail of woe
I knew that one would reap what one would sow
Has then my earthly time passed now?

Was this my warning oh so dire
That ere long from this good life
I in my youth would now retire?
Fear gripped my heart, thoughts rife
Pulsed through my head
Dreaded undesired things she said!
Filled my mind with dread

Next day the news of dread we heard
That came to us from afar
That father has moved on instead
Of me – the warning that my night did mar
Was meant for another
Closer to my heart. Poor mother!
Sadness now my soul did smother.

Why! Oh why!
Violent apparition
Take me instead
I fear not thy rendition!
Take me now
But give him back who did not know.
I will reap what I did sow

Had he time to repent?
The sins he sinned?
Ere she was sent
To wrest his soul there from his bed?
A father dear
Once so near
Yet now so far away I fear

The wages of sin! Reap what you sow!
Repent! Repent!
Ere it be too late!
Read the sins upon your slate!
A message to engrave upon
A tomb stone
Resting upon a brand new grave anon

Sadness grips now where once fear
Had gripped my mind
Ere the passing of one so dear
Had stolen upon me from behind
Where are you father?
I would so much rather
Have you here than mere memories, now still clear

What lessons should I learn
From your passing?
From the wailing mournful burn
Of fear, from this dreaded apparition casting
About her message to repent
And from sins to relent,
From He whom her had sent?

You are gone now
And life moves on
New deeds we sow
From which to reap what we have sowed anon
The wages of our sins will not abate
Lest we confess, wipe clean the slate
His judgement will determine our final fate

Now we’ve had our warning!
Will we heed
The call to avoid His reckoning?
Or have you paid instead
The price demanded
For our sins committed
That fills us with such dread?

Bewoe! Bewoe!
The wages of sin! Reap what you sow!
Repent! Repent!
Ere it be too late!
Read the sins upon your slate!
Head her dire call
Ere we meet the final door at the end of a long, long hall