Tree Poem by martin elbin

From the manger to the tree
God the Father waits for thee
first laid down in hand and timber
so that written words remember.

Lost the years of childhood slumber
while a father worked in lumber
days gone by and soon to flee
waiting patiently to be.

Found once lost in temple teaching
all the elder men were reaching
for the scriptures guide not followed
sacred words to them seemed hollow.

Hearing not and seeing little
family, friends waste time and riddle
over wine that once was water
raising friends and sons and daughter.

Crowds would gather, feed the masses
as the loaves and fishes passes
through the hands of blind unseeing
though the scriptures then were being.

Walk on water, cure the lepers
gather fishermen for shepherds
travel far and wide and spread
three years hence cry for the dead.

Telling what would pass tomorrow
overlooking pain and sorrow
toward a day seen yet to be
down the road on Calvary's tree.

Paralyzed and women bleeding
speaks of reaping, sowing, seeding
catching fish when none were feeding
storms, on water walks, receding.

Heal the blind men, cleanse the mute
while the priests spoke to refute
feeding thousands once and then
Lazarus alive again.

Tending families through their daughter
teaching women fetching water
in the synagog possessed
cured one more and purely blessed.

Ten men cured of leprosy
crippled women, cure then flee
lack of faith has caused him pain
though he raised a son in Nain.

Till he rose the did not see him,
priests and soldiers, crowds of men
through Gadara, out in Cannan,
Bethsadia and in Bethlehem.

From Naz'reth and Capernium
they traveled all the lands to teach
but fig trees failed at sight of them
toward the last Jerusalem.

Supper's last a mortal ending
Sabbath's rest, Judas descending
Gethsemane's a final moment
there in prayer before the torment.

Bound and dragged to Ciaphas
sent to Pilate, die are cast
on to Herod-no decision
back to Pilate in derision.

Sentenced to the cross at last
Peter's cruel denial blasts
there thrice told they then remembered
how foretold those now dismembered.

Apostles fled and hid for days
while he died on Calvary's clays
on the hoary cross he cried
as his side was opened wide.

Waters flowed and vinegars burned
from the truth he never turned
at the end to Father prayed
and giving up his soul he saved.

It was finished for a time
three days later-other rhymes
for this a never ending story
began the Lord's unending glory.