The universal cure

The Universal Cure,
or,
Breaking the Habit

A piece of poetry in 4-4-5
written by one of the millions who once wore chains.

Late one night I lay in bed,
waging war inside my head,
with my most devious Mr. Edward Hyde.

Part of me was for the good,
and part of me was for the bad,
and I, by my own will, could not decide.

I played a game, my friends, I claim,
a game passions, fun, and pain,
a game of sour honey and rotten milk,

And could I win this game with plan?
Not so, no more than any man
could win a game he plays against himself.

The spirit, ever, oh so willing,
the body, ever bent on killing
the spirits purest, cleanest, perfect will

So I rose and took a journey,
to stop my evil flesh from yearning,
a journey I will now begin to tell...

While I was there I saw a place,
I saw a man, but not his face,
he wore a cloak so black it took in light.

I saw his life, a wretched thing,
full of evil, giving pain,
for evil he would even risk his life.

Every day he grew and grew,
and every day he'd sit and stew
about the evil things he'd do that day.

He'd lust and cheat and hurt and curse,
he'd throw down mercy to the dirt,
'till someone came to take it all away.

I saw with horror and disgust,
this lifeless being drool with lust,
and then I felt a hand upon my back.

I turned to christ, (his was the hand)
he smiled at me, sort of sad,
then slowly, he approached the man in black.

And was his evil finally quenched,
drowned by Christ's humbleness,
or shattered by the glorious fires he lit?

No. and then in deepest, darkest night
he did such evil to our Christ,
the sun would rather hide than look upon it.

He led our jesus to a place,
a cross stood silent on it's face,
and there the dismal group did make it's stop.

The terrible power in those nails,
the piercing cries and silent wails,
my horror grew each time the hammer drooped.

Should Christ have lifted but a finger,
All the universe and Angels
would have come to beat the Devil off him.

Nieh, he humbly wore the robe,
embraced the cross and crown of thorns,
and all he said was, "Father, please forgive him."

And then my blood began to race,
and rage did fill my entire face
against this hollow man whose heart was gray.

"You Devil, You! To spit at grace!
I'll tear you're limbs from out there place,
and Justice will be done to you today!"

I flew upon him, quick with pace,
a mighty blow aimed at his face,
and, I was down; he uttered not a sound.

My power was nothing in that stare,
my anger watered to despair,
with all my will, he held me to the ground.

Was I then to just sit there?
Melting in that evil stare?
I had to know, before the dream erased.

So I rose up to a stand,
and tugged his robe with trembling hand,
and then I saw this hallow, gray mans face.

Oh, horrid life and twisted fate,
to think that I had been to late,
to think that there were two sides to this crime.

I saw what was expected to see,
the sunken eyes, the rotten teeth,
the face behind the mask was surely mine.

In every little sin I sinned,
his were my hands, his was my grin,
and ne'r did I suppose these evils great!

But here, beneath the cross, I shattered,
where man is beaten down to batter,
here, my sin and guilt did estimate!

I listened then with shame remorse
that humble question take it's course:
"Oh, Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

The answer, mark, there never came.
This need not be; it's painfully plane,
God forsook Christ for my dead soul to free.

I turned to him and could not bear
to hold his ever saddened stare,
and so i hung my head in simple anguish.

For who was I, with sin stained face,
that Christ should die and take my place?
To late! For harken you now, "It is finished."

And with those words, the battle was won!
The weight was cracked, my sins were gone!
My joy rose with sun on Easter morn!

My hallow self with terror screamed,
for Jesus hath my soul redeemed!
He fell upon the ground, and was no more!

I woke to find these truths in light,
Sin did run free, Gods son did die,
but then he rose, and banished it with night!

So, caught up in the glorious band,
I'll walk with Jesus, hand in hand!
No simple habit stands a chance tonight!