My Dad's Easter Poem

When Death Began to Die
By Garry S. ~ April 1, 2002

Abroad in the land in the dark of the night
Death rode on his ghostly white steed.
And wherever he went there went
With him there
His followers, Sorrow and Greed.

At his presence so cruel, the bright heavens
Grew dark,
And the wind – it blew bitter and cold.
And when Death drew near the harsh grasp
Of fear
Gripped the hearts of the young and the old.

On he rode and he left in his terrible wake
Many broken and sin mangled forms,
The bodies of thousands of those who
Were slain
By sickness, and battles and storms.

And as he progressed, ever greater he grew
In the minds of the people of fear.
And great terror arose if ever they thought
That Death might be drawing near.

But Death rode one day to a bleak, lonely
Hill
Where three Roman crosses stood,
And on them hung three dying men,
Two wicked, and One, oh, so good.

To the first of the crosses he came with delight
(Taking pleasure in anguish and gore)
And said to the thief in a terrible voice,
“Suffer Dog, and then suffer some more.”

The skies were as dark as the bowels of a cave
And the thunder, it pealed like a bell.
“Soon your sin curs’ed body will rot in the grave,
and your soul will go down into hell.”

The thief on the far cross when hearing this threat
Broke out in the cold sweat of fear.
And over his rough sin hardened cheek
Crept a sign of repentance, a tear.

Then he turned to the man on the cross in the midst,
And said, “Sir, I confess, I’ve done wrong
I’m a lost wicked sinner, deserving my fate,
But you are so gracious and strong.

Won’t you think of me, sir, when the veil
You have passed?
When you enter your Kingdom so fair.”
Jesus said, “My dear friend, I’ll do better than that;
On this day you will be with me there.”

“He’s a sinner.” Said Death, “And I claim him
by might
He’s mine, and he’s going with me.
There’s no way on earth that he has the right
To a bless’ed eternity.”

He’s a sinner who stands in a long line of men
Defiled by Adam’s foul deed.
The soul that sins, it surely shall die
His fate is by Heaven decreed.”

Then turning full face to the tall middle cross
Death pulled himself up to full height.
“I’ve come with a claim upon all that have sinned,
To take you at last is my right.”

But when monster Death took note of the face
Of the Savior who hung on the cross.
He was shocked and amazed at the visage Divine,
And he knew that his cause was a loss.

The man in the middle, quite unlike the rest
Had never, no never, known blame.
Upon this pure soul that never had sinned,
His threatening bark had no claim.

He could scream, he could yell, he could
Beg, he could whine,
But he could not enforce his demand
For Jesus was sinless, unspotted and pure,
So Death took his hat in his hand.

And said, “Pardon me sir, I’ve made a mistake,
With me you do not have to go.
On him who is sinless I can’t make a claim
This whole thing embarrasses me, so –
I’ll just leave you now.”
And he turned to depart
His boasting diminished, his snarl all gone
A stake through his vampire heart.

Epilogue

When Death turned to go, he knew he had lost
He knew that to Christ he’d no right,
But a voice from the cross turned old Death
in his tracks,
The same voice that started his flight.

“You’re right, Mr. Death, I don’t have to go;
You can’t make me follow your call,
But by going with you I can forever prove
That you are a fraud after all.

For three days, three only, I give up my life;
The life upon which you’ve no claim.
But come Sunday morning, I’m taking it back;
I’m taking it back once again!

Then all who will trust me, like that broken thief,
Whose sin-weary soul shed a tear
Of humble repentance, of sorrow for sin,
Shall live evermore without fear.

Tread softly now Death, as we go hand in hand,
To rest for a while in a cave.
But never forget it, that just three days hence,
I’m going to burst from the grave.

And when that’s accomplished the whole
World will see
That you are a liar and fraud.
And bowing before me, the saints will declare
That I am their Lord and their God.”