Lazarus

I'm bored-- dishwasher is on, clothes in the washer and dryer.... I should be tackling other cleaning tasks; however, I am looking through 'the base' of what I hope to be my first poetry collection. As I look over these poems I think of the ones that were cut-- how at one time I enjoyed them, thought they were good stuff; now they are tucked away never to be seen by anyone except me. One of the poems that has remained in 'the base' has always been a favorite of mine; however, a majority of my friends have never liked it. The feedback of my friends sort of worried me, but I continued to keep the poem as a favorite. When I had my first feature reading my worries were soothed. After the reading Dr. G told me she really liked the poem. Nothing like a professor's seal of approval to ease things. Here's the poem:

I’LL BE LAZARUS

Some women and men want a knight
in shining armor to ride
up on a beautiful white stallion
to save the day.

That’s not for me; let me paint the picture.

I’m a man broken, jaded;
a man who’s romantic within is dead.
He was killed too young,
died that death at least a thousand times.
He was murdered:
hung, drowned, stabbed, burned.
A knight rescues but what is there to rescue
when you’re dead------I need a Jesus.

You be Jesus;
I’ll be Lazarus.
Come to me;
tell me to come and walk forth.
Bring me back to life;
give me another chance to live,
to love again.
Be my Jesus;
I’ll be Lazarus.