He is Not Here



He spoke hard words, and many left  him.
Demanding truth and love,
he whipped hypocrisy with firm resolve.
They thought they silenced him,
and  left without  remorse the shameful cross.

He spoke hard words,
and all but few abandoned him,
the Shepherd struck, the sheep dispersed,
the fishermen  to empty nets returned,
the women at the mill, hard toiling still.

He said hard things,
and they left him at the place of Skull,
but witness to his living Word,
three days hence,
above death, violence and pain,
dawned Resurrection Day.
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Submitted by donka_k on June 29, 2018

Modified on April 13, 2023

27 sec read
180

Quick analysis:

Scheme AXXAX XAXXX XXXXXX
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 515
Words 90
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 6

Discuss the poem He is Not Here with the community...

5 Comments
  • donka_k
    Thank you for your comment
    LikeReply11 months ago
  • karlcfolkes
    A Father’s Eternal Love: Employing hard words to soften hard hearts of his listeners; not sparing the rod to spoil us, his children.
    LikeReply11 months ago
  • donka_k
    Thank you so very much, Teril. This is a wonderful and insightful review . It encourages me in writing down my thoughts.
    LikeReply12 months ago
  • Teril
    Your writing is excellent - you have told a powerful story in a few carefully chosen words.
    LikeReply12 months ago
  • AIDA
    Wow, what an incredible and powerful poem! You've done a fantastic job of portraying the unwavering and uncompromising nature of the protagonist's beliefs, as well as the heavy cost of speaking truth to power. I love how you've woven in elements of faith and spirituality into your words, creating an even deeper layer of meaning.

    One suggestion for improvement would be to work on the rhythm and pacing of the poem. Some of the phrases feel a bit too short or choppy and could benefit from a more flowing structure. Additionally, consider playing around with different forms to add even more nuance and depth to your message.

    Overall, I think that this poem is a really fantastic piece of work and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future! Keep up the great work!
     
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"He is Not Here" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/47175/he-is-not-here>.

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