Tick after tick

Three decades beckoned

Like spider webs

Woven with spurned promises

Around the scripture ceiling

Of Matthew: 1:21

On came the anthem

From river Jordan

With sounds of an acapella baptism

Till the spirits solo

Echoed within the wilderness

Forty days and forty night

Fasting all along

Like a lonely iroko

On an icy oasis

From stone to bread

Through the pinnacle jump

Temptations came calling

Till the written word

Knocked off the tempters plot

It’s Good Friday

But nothing seemed good

Coz heaven’s filled with tears

For a broken communion

With the earth bound Son

At Gethsemane

Flowers became thorns

With each groaning stroke

From the saviours side

Came bloodlike sweats

Like athletes

Running across an Olympic track

Hell quaked in jubilation

When thirty pieces of silver

Sealed the transaction

For the final sacrifice

Like a mighty hurricane

Came soldiers in droves

Guided by a foes kiss

To seize the Messiah

Who was the true Light

That lightens the world

Lash after lash

Sicknesses flew

Wounds after bruise

Transgressions gave way

Till mortal man condemned the eternal creator

Sent from the Father

Heaven’s silent

At man’s ignorance

For substituting Barabbas

With the Lord from heaven

On the cross hung my sin

Like a prisoner

Awaiting the firing squad

On Lagos island

Should’ve been my death

But mercy said no

It’s Sabbath

But Sabbath smelt foul

Without the crucified Christ

From tent to tent

Animals’ necks kissed knives

To atone for sin

Already paid for in full

By the Sinless one

Early Easter Sunday morning

Maidens went to anoint

The precious body

Of their buried Lord

Alas!

The tombs empty

With tears like a river

The Angel quipped for joy

He is risen

Alleluia!

Jesus is risen

To give us life

For new life to come

Strike the firework of bad character

To knock out sin

He that stole, steal no more

He that fought, fight no more

He that lusted, lust no more

He that lied, lie no more

He that fornicated, fornicate no more

He that coveted, covet no more

He that strove, strive no more

She that envied, envy no more

She that cursed, curse no more

She that seduced, seduce no more

She that slandered, slander no more

She that gossiped, gossip no more

She that brawled, brawl no more

She that nagged, nag no more

For the malicious, shun malice

For the Unforgiving, learn to forgive

For the hater, learn to love

For the drunkard, drink no more

For the backbiter, backbite no more

For the angry, be angry no more

For the jealous, rejoice with others

Care for the sick

Help the helpless

Visit the bereaved

Give to the needy

Clothe the naked

Shelter the homeless

Pray for others

Then

Believe on Jesus’ resurrection

And new life will spring forth

Like a golden hibiscus

Emerging from a fertile humus

Under the charming smile

From heavens sun.