Siobhan Ekeh was 12 years old when she wrote her own version of the Stations of the Cross, originally published online by Amy Ekeh (Siobhan's mother and CBS faculty member) at amyekeh.com/blog. The Ekeh family belongs to St. Ann parish, Milford, CT.
Prince Of Peace, by Siobhan Ekeh
I : CONDEMNED- JUDGE
Stand
before the crowd for me
What
have you to say for thee?
No
sound, no word to save his name
To
end his pain, to stop his fate
Although
his heart is pure and clean
He
is condemned to endless sleep
II : CARRY- SPECTATOR
I
watch them weave a crown of thorns
Hustle,
heckle taunt and scorn
I
watch them load your back with weight
Bitterness
crossed with twisted hate
I
want to end their cruel advance
But
I do not move when I have the chance
III : FALLING- SOLDIER
You
stumble yet we push you down
You
cry but we ignore the sound
No
one helps you when you fall
No
one makes a move at all
I
cannot help but feel for you
But
when you’re down I do not move
IV : MEETING- MOTHER
So
alone you stumble forth
They
do not know what you are worth
So
now, now when you say to me
“Courage, woman, for this must be”
I
truly know that I must believe
For
by your cross we are redeemed
V : HELP- SIMON
They
push and pull me toward the tree
The
heavy burden meant for thee
They
grow impatient tired of
Your
slow progress or lack thereof
They
snatch me off the streets of ill
So
I help you against my will
VI : FACE- VERONICA
Alone
again he struggles on
They
will nail him to the tree anon
I
don’t have anything to give
But
I cannot yet leave him
My
hands I have and my veil in place
So
at least I can wash your face
VII : FALLING AGAIN- PETER
I
see you fall this time on rock
I
cannot bare to see them mock
I
have denied you thrice today
But
still I love you, still I pray
That
you’ll forgive me for I was weak
As
you set on humble and meek
VIII : CRY- WOMAN
As
he stumbles toward us still
He
is not drained of his good will
Though
it’s I who should help thee
You
reach out and comfort me
You’ve
been abandoned by your friends
But
still you love until the end
IX : FALLING STILL- PHARISEE
This
time he falls and does not rise
He
is so close to his demise
That
I can see the wasted land
Where
they will nail his feet and hands
In
spite of cards that fate has dealt
Why
do you not save yourself?
X : ROBBED- JOHN
They
take your clothes and leave you bare
Crown
of thorns still in your hair
You
wear those twigs like the king you are
And
despite these horrid scars
I
know you’ll come again someday
So
that we can then be saved
XI : NAILED- MAN
This
is my job and I’ve no choice
But
I have yet to hear your voice
You
do not protest when we stab
Your
hands and then your side they jab
I
cannot help but think and pray
Are
you the king as they all say?
XII : MORTEM - CHRIST
Father
father why have you
Abandoned
me as I go through
I
trust you, I do not doubt
The
things you ask to carry out
With
my last breath, I want all to hear it:
Into
your hands I commend my spirit
(c) Copyright Siobhan Ekeh, 2016.
