I Have Seen Men Poem by Gert Strydom

believing in avenging gods,
believing in weapons of war
and have experienced
the havoc that war does bring
and do know that nothing that is good
comes from fighting
and only death and destruction
is the final outcome of it.

I have seen men
believing in materialism,
that peace joy and love comes
from what you do possess
and in a hospital bed
I have seen a wealthy man
in desperation trying to end what life is
for whom life had cost far too much.

I have seen learned religious men
proclaim that Jesus Christ was only one of the gods,
I have seen learned religious men
proclaim that Jesus Christ did not rise from death,
I have seen learned religious men
proclaim that Jesus Christ was only a good man

and then they lecture at university seminaries
and call themselves Christians
and it’s clear that they do wait
for the Cosmic Christ to appear.

And still I do know that God does really exist
and I do believe in Him,
believe that Jesus Christ will return
to this catastrophic world
as its judge, redeemer and king.