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.