Pharisee Me
I have baked many pies
made from forbidden fruits
from a recipe the snake did provide
and washed it down with Esau's soup
I've been momma's boy and burly man
I've sat on both sides of the table
I've been in the dungeon with Joseph and slept
with Pontifer's wife, the same day I killed Abel
I missed the ark, I've dropped the arc
I've both blessed and cursed the rain
I hit the rock more than twice
When water came out, I hit it again and again
I've been on both sides
of many a Jericho wall
I've been the one to build them up
and the loudest to shout when they fall
I've eaten manna from the sky
in the early morning light
and danced around the golden calf
on that very same night
I bowed down at Dagon's feet
more times than I can tell
and barely got out of the way
every single time he fell
I've built countless shaky towers
and thought every one was good
I've babbled on and on to nearly everyone
Yet no one's understood
I've grown my hair extremely long
and thought my strength it did contain
Yet sheared short or hanging long
to me, it's been neither a blessing nor a bane
I've hungrily eaten all the food
that Daniel pushed aside
I've slept nightly with the lions
not realizing Your protection kept me alive
I continued to fight with not one
but with two broken legs
and chased angels carrying blessings
back up ladders, while continuing to lie, steal and beg
I've stood behind a burning bush
Pretending to speak your words
But when the bush was burned away
my own foolishness is all that was heard
I've made allegience with legion
and went cliff diving with the pigs
I've ran ahead of the Master
and plucked the tree empty of it's figs
I have been on the same day
both a virgin and a whore
I've led the adulterous woman by the hand
back to the bedroom door
My sisters said so many times
"He's dead, stinking and bound"
Yet You've called into the man-made tomb
and commanded that I come out
I held Paul's coat when he held
the coats of those who stoned Stephen into a martyr
But I was also the one, when I saw
Jesus's standing ovation, who cheered louder and longer
I've handed Pontious a towel
to wipe his blood stained hands
and gladly shouted, "Crucify Him"
or whatever else the crowd demands
Hanging on both sides of Jesus
I have often been found
Both on the mocking accusing side
and the side paradise bound
But there was that one fateful day
when the rainbow I usually saw only halfway done
became perfectly clear and complete
wrapped around Him on His throne
As I came to Him when He said, "Come"
and all the blood He shed at Calvary
was just exactly enough
to save this pharisee, me
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Admin note:
Nominated for Poem of the Week on 12/7/2004
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