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.
