[David Callin]

Somebody had to be Judas.
Don't think I don't see that.
Bad luck

for me.
Good news, of course,
for Christians everywhere.

It was such a strange week:
the febrile arrival -
Jesusmania -

the nervous soldiery,
the angry shaken beards.
The transaction.

And then that wholly awful night -
"Is it me, Lord? Is it me?"
That business with the bread.

Then general hubbub,
upturned tables ...
You try flouncing out in sandals.

They say he agonised for hours,
crying "Lord, I am not worthy!"
Was I worthy?

Through me was accomplished
the Redemption.
I could not

not kiss him
in the garden,
in the torches' flare.

The cosmic marbles
rolled into place.
The scriptures were fulfilled.

There was never more joy in heaven.
One homecoming king.
One fatted calf.

[Julie Steiner]

Hi, David!

For the most part I enjoyed this take on Dan Brown's take on the Gnostic Gospel of Judas, but I was puzzled by this bit:

     They say he agonised for hours,
     crying "Lord, I am not worthy!"

Wasn't that someone else's line? Matthew 8:8 has it as the Roman centurion's, re the long-distance healing of his ill servant (or possibly his boy beloved in a Classical pederasty arrangement). And then adopted as the pre-Communion prayer for every Catholic Mass. Jesus's line in the Garden of Gesthemane was different.

[Glenn Wright]

Hi, David—

This reminds me of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ, Superstar, which also explores the themes of predestination, Judas’s essential role in the economy of salvation, and the dangerous fickleness of mob sentiment.

You might replace S7L2-3
crying “Lord, I am not worthy!”
Was I worthy?

with something like
crying “Lord, why have you left me?”
Had He left him? or Had He left me?

Fine work!

Glenn

[Jim Moonan]

.
Feeling holy, eh?

I'm of two minds with this poem. One is that the Judas story is well-worn and I don't know that you've brought anything new to it. The other is that Judas might well be the most misunderstood villain in all of Christendom.

"I am not worthy" brings to mind the Catholic communion antiphon "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed" said by congregants before receiving the body and blood of Christ.

Told in a fatalistic "many years hence" kind of way. I like it. But then again I like a biblical retelling.
.

[Jim Ramsey]

Hi David,

1970, Leon Russell, Roll Away the Stone, one of my favorite songs. Do you know it? I hope you'll give it a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k8HCUexXUs

All the best,
Jim

[David Callin]

Hi Julie! Is this Dan Brown's take on it? Interesting. I have neither read the book - tried, but couldn't manage it - nor seen the film (although often bad books make good films - and require much less effort).

I think you must have me bang to rights on that point you highlight. I will have to think back to what I think my authority for it is. (Very little, probably.) Frankly, I'm sure you're right. But I will check!

Hi Glenn. Dan Brown, Rice and Lloyd Webber ... is there no end to my cultural connections? Thanks for that suggestion, though. It might be just the thing.

Not that holy, Jim! This might be my equivalent of a Stones song ... Sympathy for Judas. I do wonder how raw his deal was, but I shouldn't really rush in where well you know.

Speaking of songs ... I like that, Jim, and it's new to me, so thanks for that. How do you like this little beauty? It's a bit more joyous, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MyJHh451Y4

Cheers all

David

[John Riley]

David, I like what you've done. My one suggestion is to cut the last stanza. It sort of hangs there, IMO. Ending with "The scriptures were fulfilled" is ominous and effective.

Hope this helps.

[Joe Crocker]

Hi David

There is a sense here, given away by the odd tone and anachronisms, that Judas is looking back from a contemporary perspective on a role he was obliged to play a long time ago.

The line that stuck out most for me was S6L3 “You try flouncing out in sandals”. Flouncing usually implies an overly-dramatic gesture and when used of a man has strong effeminate/camp connotations. So, given Julie’s comment that this was the Judas story from a Dan Brown viewpoint, I wondered if there was stuff about Judas that I didn’t know (not having read Brown). But I’m guessing that you are invoking an old thespian being interviewed about a famous scene he once played. I do though wonder why it is difficult to “flounce” in sandals. It would make more sense to me if Judas “stomped” or “stamped” out, as that might be trickier in sandals.

I did have a “Paris/in the/the spring” confusion between S8 and 9 ie it took me a couple of reads to see there were two consecutive “not”s.

I can see John’s point about cutting the last stanza but I think the last line is excellent, so I would keep it.

I really enjoyed the tone

Joe