Praefectus Iudaeorum

He troubles me, this Nazarene,
His humble words do not accord
with anarchy or insurrection
yet these others call him Lord.

He speaks no hate for Caesar's Rome,
Yet priests would have me crucify
This man who's calm serenity
Does Judas' calumny belie

Were't not for the Sanhedrin's ire
My Prefecture would stay it's hand
and send this strange but gentle man
to exile in Judaic land

But yet they bay and thirst for blood
"He Blashphemeth", rabble cries
This mob holds no respect for Rome
Their hatred for Him mystifies

I thought their anger would appease
Once I had sent Him to be scourged
But with His bloody body shown
"He must be crucified" they urged.

I think myself a humane man
I view their bloodlust with distaste
I wash my hands of local laws
But bitterly decry this waste ...

~ ~ ~

And now my days are numbered short
I wander, and my eyes grow dim
I pray to Pluto, as I should ...
And yet my thoughts are fixed on Him

~ ~ ~


This was written for an AllPoetry contest "Close Encounters with Jesus",  where the task was to write a rhyming poem in the first person from the perspective of someone who met Jesus, giving their feelings and reactions to the meeting, and to the situation. It won Silver for second placing.

Indigo Child

Indigo Child             P. J. Murphy

As the transient Age of Violet ends
Indigo child (she has no friends) is seen to be
just wild (ADHD.), tempestuous, stubborn.

She has beautiful clear purple-pea eyes

is sensitive (she cries) but self-assured
creative (that can be cured) but undisciplined
has a mission ( we have our suspicion) and a purpose
she knows but will not share with us

(she doesn't care) where she is going
Self-empowered, psychic, ethereal,
( she doesn't feel ) unaffectionate,
dodges hugs ( is she on drugs? )

She won't conform, she hates routine
( she's just being mean ) and sees the better way
She waits ( I think she hates us ) patiently
For the Age of Indigo.



P.J. Murphy
(c) P.J. Murphy 2005

Note: This was an entry for one of a series of Allpoetry.com contests with colour themes, this one being 'Indigo'  


pjmurphypoems.blogspot.com

Aurora Corporalis

Aurora Corporis           P. J. Murphy

bursts of
flame's glory
in moments
before
ember fades
and dies



exhausted;
exothermic
energy
explodes -

Magdala Red
and
Magnesium
Orange -



the colours
of a soul

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was submitted to an Allpoetry Contest "Prewrite Party".

www.guitarsongs.info
pjmurphypoems.blogspot.com
 

Amber

Amber             P.J. Murphy

Arboreal sap oozes lazily; 

Embroiled in glutinous trap, 

unwary arachnid 

freeze-frames an ecosystem 

long ago erased 

Information 

imprisoned 

in resin 

intact; 

Fast-forward through millenia: 

Primeval life-secrets revealed 

as learned spider-men gaze 

through translucent windows 

of amber 

 This was written for an Allpoetry Contest "Dirty Brown", and won the Gold Trophy.

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty       P.J. Murphy

In the sorrow of your smile
I wandered for a while
wistful, wishful, heart-concealed
in the bitter of your tear
I washed away my fear
flesh and spirit nakedly revealed

To the silver of your speech
I listen, as you teach
wisdom pouring from your honey-lip
in the comfort of your breast
I lay my soul to rest
as deep into oblivion I slip

From the golden of the dawn
is your sleeping beauty drawn
the soft perfection of the waking sun
in the amber of your eyes
I find, to my surprise
the joy and sorrow of the world are one

P.J. Murphy

Copyright ©2004 P.J. Murphy

Website: pjmurphypoems.blogspot.com