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The beast awakens and begins to hunt

the planet sparks and squeals

but you stumble through
gasping, stumbling
into the half gray light

the rain of an early morning

of doubt
whispering
you reach for something better

a crimson rose of promise

only to grasp a fistful of thorns
tearing, bleeding
and you remain standing in rebellion

a dying fire, flickering in the front yard

breathing in the stench of rubber
failure
and you hear the mob

laughing as they tear down your world

in revenge for the pain, it has given them
hurting people

hurt people

and in the end, everyone is suffering

for no purpose
and you are wondering

if God can see what is happening

and if He can, why doesn’t He do something

why doesn’t He give them what they deserve
but what if God knows our suffering

but what if God was seen writhing

like a man nailed to a cross

weeping with the stab of thorns

pressed like a crown onto his head

as he watched His senseless creation

use the freedom He gave them

to burn down every beautiful garden

to try and destroy the way of their salvation
and maybe to hate is naturally human

an animal instinct

oh look, a tail, we can chase it

and to forgive is perfectly divine

if we accept forgiveness

we can stick a spoke in the wheel

the endless cycle of revenge

and maybe justice will come

at the end of this carnival of madness

we will all get what we deserve

but not before grace has had its season

giving us a chance to defy human reason

and reach out for love

for revival

for redemption