XIII
KING

When the people wanted to proclaim           John 6:15.
you king after you multiplied the fish
and the bread, you withdrew by yourself
to the mountain, since your kingdom           John 18:36.
is not of this world; however, Death
made you the King of Life. Your anathema,
in three tongues—Jesus of Nazareth,
King of the Jews—above your throne,
reveals your passion. Solitary
white King of solitude, naked king,
by the grace of God and of death:
the cross is your throne, and your crown
is the ring of thorns that encircles
your black hair and draws blood from
your forehead that covers your eyes.
From the burning bush which was not
consumed, in the desert near Mount Horeb,
the mountain of God, a royal crown
was made which shines over your hair,
which is black as night, like a nimbus
of sparks, creatures of the shadow
of your pain, which is intense contemplation.

You bow your head under the obscure
weight of human destiny; your crown
of thorns offers prophetic visions of
how your teachings must be followed,
for which they will make you king of this world.
Those drops of blood from your forehead
are beads of sweat from the thoughts
which have already been misunderstood,
drops of your most intimate passion.