II

“It is finished!” You shouted with a roar           Revelations 14:2.
like a thousand cataracts, with a thunderous
voice like that of an army in battle           Ezekiel 1:24.
—your battle with death—and with your cry,
from a ghostly Alexandria, the new
heathen arrogance of pagans in Jericho,           Joshua 6.
the palm trees of Hellenic wisdom,
the walls came tumbling down, and the
gates of Rome opened for you. A vast
mystical silence followed, as if the air
had also died with you, and a new
unearthly music arose in the heart
of heaven which was distraught by the grief
of your passion. And on the sad wooden
harp of your cross, with its taut
tendons and muscles stretched out
in torment, your body emitted
a shout of pain—love without bounds—
the victorious song of life.
It is finished! Finally, death has died!

You were alone with your Father—alone
and face to face—your gazes were merged
—that of heaven with that of your blue eyes—
and when the vastness of His heart sighed,
the boundless and unfathomable sea of Spirit
trembled; and feeling Himself a man
God tasted death, in divine solitude.
Your Father chose to experience death,
and when you bowed your head and merged
your human breath with the spirit of God,
He saw Himself without the Creation.
When you took your final breath,
only the distant merciful sea responded!