Thursday, December 25, 2008

IF THINE EYE OFFEND THEE


Matt. 5:29-30

Because his eyes offended, prying
Between buttons and thighs,
He plucked them out and cast them away:
Of small importance was the light of day.

Because his ears offended, hearing
Invitations and sighs,
He drove nails into the tender membranes.
Weeping, ecstatic, he embraced the pain.

Because his tongue offended, singing
Desire that shocked and scandalized
The good neighbors and innocent passers-by,
He ripped it out and hurled it from him.
Above all, he must deny his longing.

Because his thoughts offended--How
The images did glow!--he gave up control
Of his own mind and learned to seek not to know,
But only to believe what he was told.

Because his hand offended, and his sex, and
--Fie, fie, for shame! Must I
Tell all he did? Indecency I dare not name!--His hand
He cropped, the rest lopped off and cast like Satan behind him.

Free at last,
Because mindless, maimed,
Blind and deaf, without tongue or touch,

Maintained in charity and disgust
By mortified Saints
--behind bars, of course, on water and crusts--

Himself he hourly befouls,
And everything else for yards around,

Without knowing when, where, why, or how.
 
 
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