Sonnet 27 – The Empty Tomb Stories
On that first day, two tales sprang from the grave.
Like couriers, one headed north, one south.
We choose which is the knight, which is the knave,
Which tells the truth, which comes from lying mouth.
The first has always been its own worst foe:
We slept; disciples stole the corpse away.
But if they were asleep, how did they know?
And if awake, they would have won the fray.
The second’s known, for it is strong, survives.
The ones who scattered as their teacher died
Said He arose, and we can see changed lives.
E’en though it cost them all, they testified.
Two stories of the empty tomb were told:
One made men laugh; the other made men bold.
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Stanza 2 – An angel appeared and rolled away the stone.
The Roman guards shook in fear and became like dead
men. When they recovered, they went to the Jewish
leaders for protection (to avoid being killed by Pilate).
They were given money and told to say that the
disciples came and stole the body of Jesus while they
were sleeping (Matt.28:2-4; 11-15).
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© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2014.
The Bard on the Hill 
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