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CHEEKS

With insolent hands they crushed           John 18:22.
the vital redness of your cheeks
until it faded away; the salt from your
tears burned them, and its film cast
a shadow over your eyes, saddened
by what they saw. But it troubled you
to be slapped by those uncouth
creatures from the bowels of the earth,
whose cold blood was never warmed
by the light of the sun: heartless
savages who know not what they do;           Luke 23:34.
wallowing in the mad intoxication
of their cruel game, they trample flowers
while scorning the light; corrupted souls
who were oblivious to your gentleness,
a vile rabble of bloated scoundrels.
The roses of your face were playthings
for the brutal enjoyment of those animals,
monstrosities of darkness who laughed at
the Man, brazenly mocking Him
with jeers. Mirthless laughter that created
a ruddiness of humiliation spreading
between the pair of your two lips
and the pair of your two eyes; the distressing
laughter of the beast who neighs at the man!