GETHSEMANE
(An epic of Christ’s Passion at the Gethsemane)

He went with his three best allies:
Peter, James and John
At the time he saw danger like a tick cloud
But was he going to hide?
Or was he going to fortify himself?

Pain carried him in her arms;
Sorrow, he breathed in like a smoldering smoke
With a broken heart, he spoke to his three followers:
“My soul is so sorrowful, even to death;
Remain here, and watch with me”
He wished if they could keep him warmth.

He ascended a little farther
Threw his face to the ground prayerfully:
“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me;
Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will”
He beseeched his Father tearfully.

After poring his broken heart to his Father
He descended to see his three ‘besties’
But on seeing his ‘supposed comforters’ sleeping
Disappointment took over him:
“Peter, so you couldn’t watch with me for an hour?
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Since he was still in the abyss of sorrow
He again ascended to fervently pray to his Father
And sweat from his body; fell to the ground like drops of blood
“O My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me
Unless I drink it, your will be done,” he cried.

He returned again and still met them deeply asleep
As if sleeping pills passed through their gullets
Looking disappointed and lonely
He must have hissed, shook his head and said:
‘You’re sleeping because you don’t see the danger ahead.’

He returned to his solitary prayer, the third time
And repeated the same words from his broken heart
Thereafter, he returned to his deep-snoring apostles
For the appointed time had come.

He met the sleeping giants and said:
“Are you still sleeping and resting?
Enough! Look, the hour has come
For the son of man to be handed over to the power of sinners
Get up, let’s go. Look, here is my betrayal.”

 

 

Francis Ikedichukwu Onwuchuruba is a Nigerian poet that Poetry chose by herself and not the other way round. He’s among the poets that the world can’t wait to celebrate. In July, 2017, he published his first poetry collection titled “It is my business”- a collection of poems on Nigeria socio-economic and political issues that is available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0748N3WYZ).

Some of his works have appeared on PAROUSIA Magazine and other social media platforms. He owns www.francisink.com.ng where he promotes his creativity.