avatarRae Lynn Sommers

Summary

The website content is a poetic reflection on the despair and self-loathing of Judas Iscariot following his betrayal of Jesus.

Abstract

The text titled "Epitaph for Judas Iscariot" is a somber and evocative poem that delves into the inner turmoil and remorse of Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus. It paints a picture of Judas's death and burial, his unmarked grave, and the absence of any salvation or redemption for his actions. The poem conveys a deep sense of abandonment, with no celestial light or angelic presence to offer solace. Judas reflects on his fate as a traitor, deserving of a death without honor, and acknowledges the gravity of his betrayal. The imagery of an unmarked grave desecrated by animals further emphasizes the depth of his despair. The poem concludes with Judas accepting his fate, one cast by his own hand, and the recognition that he must pay the price for his treachery.

Opinions

  • The author portrays Judas as a figure deserving of pity, rather than the traditional villainous depiction.
  • Judas's betrayal is presented as an act so heinous that it forever marks him as unworthy of forgiveness or redemption.
  • The poem suggests that the weight of betraying an innocent leads to an irreversible condemnation, both spiritually and in the eyes of the world.
  • The imagery used implies that Judas's self-inflicted death was a direct result of his inability to cope with his own guilt and shame.
  • The text conveys a sense of finality and hopelessness, with Judas's legacy being one of his own making, shaped by his decisions and actions.

Epitaph for Judas Iscariot

Photo by Francesco Alberti on Unsplash

I am dead and I am buried My eyes covered with stones Do not bleed Do not weep Only stare out Into the great Deep nothingness of night

There is no Moon There is no Light There is no Angel Come down From on high To save me To lift me To raise me Up

No Savior To create a new Lazarus In me, Nor Bring me from the tomb

Perhaps A liar A traitor Someone who would Betray a friend For thirty pieces of silver

Deserves to die a pauper’s death a puppet’s death a pariah’s death

An unmarked grave Where jackals piss Gnaw at bones Scratch at fleas

In the shadow Of the tree Where I strung Myself Swung myself When I could not Stand the stench of My own treachery

My legacy My fate Cast by my own die

For I have betrayed innocent blood

And must Pay the price

Photo by Max Muselmann on Unsplash
Poem
Judas Iscariot
Justice
Self Loathing
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