A SON’S FEELING OF ABANDONMENT – Poem by Bruce Whealton

Even before it happened
he knew it was coming;
His father had told him about it.

When he asked his Father “why?”
there was no answer.

His father was God, who could
provide redemption for the world
in any way he chose!

But here He was condemned -
an innocent man-
by false accusations and testimonies.

He knew ahead of time,
not to protest his innocence
and yet, he would not deny what was true.
He had admitted that
indeed he was the son
of God.

There would be no justice or truth.

Then, bleeding and in pain,
hanging on the cross,
he tried with what little strength he had
to ask his Father,

“Why have you forsaken me?
why have you abandoned me?”

“Father, you know,
there is nothing good -
there is no justice -
when a good man -
an innocent man -
suffers for
no reason.”

“Father! …
Father!
You and I both know,
this makes no sense!”

He somehow found
the strength
to scream this!

Again, no answer.

No matter how many times
this story would be retold and in what
form the story would be told,
over the next centuries and millennia
he knew that it did not have to end this way and
there was nothing
perfect
or
right
about this.

His father could have done anything – anything else-
redeemed mankind in any way he chose,
he was God
Omnipotent
without limits.

He feared this,
to die a meaningless death!

Poem by Bruce Whealton 2008

Note, this is a draft publication.