He fell, the weight of the beam a burden

on the man’s already bloody, broken skin,

some jeered while others remembered

the gentle touch of his wholesome healing.

——

The earth shifted and groaned,

tenderly held him, 

who was in all 

and through all.

—–

Shoved, pushed and hustled by men

til he stood swaying, tears unchecked,

not for himself, but for the bitterness

and corruption and creation wrecked.

—–

He felt the woundedness of the weak,

oppressed in fear, restricted, in pain,

his heart for those forced into slavery,

those seeking food, freedom from stain.

—–

As Joseph took the strain, those healing

hands reached out to touch one last time,

blood soaked, the packed earth groaned

feeling his anguish, creation crying, crime!

——-

They nailed those healing hands to a tree,

left him gasping for breath, still sore, bleeding

from head, hands, feet, water from his side,

and still they watched forgiven, unheeding.

—–

The wood held its holy burden with sorrow,

loving the frail form, feeling the sad slowing

of the loving heart, beating, fluttering, that

spoke words of lavish love o’erflowing.

—

The world went silent, darkness threatened,

and nature fell silent in horror and in awe,

shaking in fear, yet grace came quietly as a 

gentle, loving man’s life seemed no more.

—

The family came, friends and enemies too,

to lift goodness down and hide it in a tomb.

Silently nature sought sanctuary there and

slowly vines crept over the sheltering womb.

—

In the dark and cold where stone breathed, 

God lovingly touched his beloved son,

birds began to trill, the joyous earth trembled,

for the old order has gone, goodness has won.