Who is He? (1st in Searching for Kadesh collection)

[poet-e]

Who is this man from Nazareth we keep hearing about?
            Rumors say he heals people like us.
                        My friend witnessed him healing a man who was paralyzed for years and years.
                                    They say he’s healed a countless bunch of blind paralytic outcasts.
                                                Can he heal us?
                        I hear he can raise the dead.
                                    Is he a black magician?  

What good can possibly come out of Nazareth?
            Why do people keep saying that?
            Is Nazareth a place of rubbish?
                        Prophecy says that the Messiah will come from Bethlehem.  Rumors say he is the one.
            Will he deliver us from the end of the Romans’ whips?
                        Can he end our endless oppression?
                                    Will he lead us into war and win? 
                                               What happens to people like us in war?
                                                            Win or lose; we never win.

Rumors say he is a false prophet.
            Will the authorities uncover him?
                        What makes a prophet false or true?
                        Who are we to say?
Rumors say he is the one…
            The one?
            The one, what?
                        The one Moses and the Prophets prophesied would come for our people.
                                    What about the rest of the people?
                                    Including us?
            Is he the one like all of the other ones who didn’t turn out to be the one? 
                       If he is the one, how can we be sure he is the one?  

Will he heal us?
            How do we even know where he will be?
                        He collects listening crowds.
                                    Followers or protesters?
                        Who cares?
                                    His words must have meaning to move the masses.
                                                What does he say?
                                                            Love your neighbor as yourself…
                                                                        That doesn’t include family, right?
                                                            Blessed are the poor…
                                                                        How are we blessed?
                                                                        He’s talking about us, right? We’re the poorest of the poor. 
                                                                                   Or is he using us as a metaphor?
                                                                                    His words probably are meant for the healthy.
                                                                                                But he heals people like us.
                                                                                    Probably meant for people with homes and families.
                                                                                                But he left his family and home.
                                                                                                            Why? Is he crazy?
                        Who cares who he is, as long as he can heal us?
                                    How can he heal us when we’re stuck here?
                                                We need to find a way to get to him.
                                                            It sounds like a lot of work for something that has a high likelihood of failing.
                                                            Will he ever come to us?
                                                            How do we find a man wandering without a home?
                                                                        The same way you find us.  

What if all the rumors are just rumors?
            What would we have to lose?
                        Hope. Less hope.
                        We could gain everything. Our dreams.
But what if the rumors are true?
            Then we will be healed.
                        If he heals us.
                                    How does he choose who to heal?
                                                Why are the Chosen chosen?
                                    What about the unchosen? 

He could be a hoax.
            He could be real.
What’s the catch?
            There has to be a catch.  

Who does he say that he is?
            He doesn’t say.
Is he who they say he is?
            Which they?

[Matty11]

A torrent of questions P.

Of course, the volume of questions, means some have weight and other are weightless, the former in danger of floating away with the latter. Some editing my achieve focus and anchor the poem.

Can he end our endless oppression?
                                    Will he lead us into war and win? 
                                               What happens to people like us in war?

Let the question dangle for the readers to fill in the space (we can guess the answer)

The one the Prophets prophesied would come for our people.

or

The one Moses prophesied would come for our people.

Why single out Moses? Or just single out Moses.

Love your neighbor as yourself…
                                                                        That doesn’t include family, right?

That made me smile.

cheers

Phil

[poet-e]

Thanks Phil; helpful!

[indar]

My reaction on first read is this is a "brainwhirl" of hope/despair/been fooled before. Your knowledge of scripture in its historical/political setting is evident. I know from other sites in which I interacted with you that you are qualified in ways some are not to present this imaginative perspective. I rarely see a reason for shape-poems but in this case there is a sense of "flying thoughts" to which the shapes are well suited. Interesting write I look forward to more.

[poet-e]

Thanks @indar!  Always appreciate your thoughts!

[poet-e]

My reaction on first read is this is a "brainwhirl" of hope/despair/been fooled before. Your knowledge of scripture in its historical/political setting is evident. I know from other sites in which I interacted with you that you are qualified in ways some are not to present this imaginative perspective. I rarely see a reason for shape-poems but in this case there is a sense of "flying thoughts" to which the shapes are well suited. Interesting write I look forward to more.

@indar means I'm "qualified in ways some are not" since I have a disability.  But I may be unqualified as a non-Jew, who's never been homeless.  Offensive?

Does this make sense as the opening poem?

[indar]

I loved the poem about the crow or raven I think it was that you said was to be your opening poem. Would you consider posting it here?

You are using Biblical (Pentateuch) text which belongs to the world's massive collection of sacred scripture as the background for your special perspective/voice expressing personal hope. I don't know if it would be offensive to Jews but I am certain there are organizations you could consult. That might be a very worthwhile part of your research for such an ambitious undertaking.

[poet-e]

I loved the poem about the crow or raven I think it was that you said was to be your opening poem. Would you consider posting it here?

You are using Biblical (Pentateuch) text which belongs to the world's massive collection of sacred scripture as the background for your special perspective/voice expressing personal hope. I don't know if it would be offensive to Jews but I am certain there are organizations you could consult. That might be a very worthwhile part of your research for such an ambitious undertaking.

Thanks!  I had Raven as the 1st poem, but changed to this one.  Raven is a personal POV, but I thought this introduced the scope of the whole collection.  Any thoughts which is better as the 1st poem?