Alabaster panels, wall to wall
Glowing with the purity of light
Journeys begin in this place
As praises are lifted up
Two become one
a united pair
Joined in eternal happiness
Yet
There are the times
when all is naught
and the joy is tainted dark
Such was this
in the life of
the friend of one
- the best man
His secret thought
His dark confession
to the night
The bride to be
not his
but is
For to her was
his heart given
Time
And time again
His hopes were
dashed into the depths
of enduring anguish.
Her attentions were directed at
another. Blind eyes turned to him.
No hope was apparent
as his every attempt
to gain her sight
were to no avail.
Finally, the only option left
To live in her shadow.
A partial existence.
Life passed
years crawling by
as his shadowed life endured.
Friends passed into memory,
but not the two
The girl who would make him
complete. And his friend.
Best two together,
and yet.
A call came in
He presented a question
one answered simply
As he received the honor
of being his best friend's
best man.
For who though is the bride?
The knowledge stops his heart
Horror fills him
with the knowledge
that once again
Fate's desire is cruel
For the bride,
is she who casts
the shadow in which he lives.
Time goes by
a blur, as his brain
and his heart
try to comprehend.
The day comes
one of joy
and sorrow.
He sits in his room.
Awaiting the groom
who will end his life.
For to him
the love is still
hopeful. Until the kiss
This sacred act
in starting a new life
will be the guarantee
that ends his.
Tears fall unchecked
as music plays below.
Each melody of the piano,
the angelic chords of the choir
Are like the lashes of a whip
the sounds of joyous celebration,
become the laughter of derisive gods.
Taunting his soul.
He sits alone
Always alone.
Tears drying upon his face
Bells nearby peal
as realization dawns.
He has been deceived
from the beginning.
For all time
the story of love
True and eternal
The bond that breaks all
curses and sets free
hope and life.
All this has been false.
An illusion set down,
by a people,
who could not fathom,
could not accept,
the truth.
As one we are born and
So else shall we die.
Cursed in solitude.
He chuckles weakly
As the weight of his sorrow
presses upon him.
Truly
Knowledge is not power
For in knowledge is found
the things you do not want to know.
With this in mind
He steps forward to embrace
the groom. The man who is
killing him.
They stride down
to await the bride
at the podium.
As they near it.
He sees, as cast
in shadow – it appears
red – blood bathed through
the windows.
Blood running across and
down the tortured figure
the Christ.
One who knows his anguish
His eyes are pierced
as his gaze is drawn
to the bloody, torn face
of the one who should
but does not
care for his pain.
Shaking his head,
with trembling body
he forces a smile
for his friend's sake.
His understanding draws
to an end as a sound
whispers through the air.
The doors open and
music plays
tumultuous crescendos
as light shines through.
Turning to look,
he is frozen
As the one who
wields his final death
steps through the door
Haloed in light
an angel garbed in white
She begins the steps
down the aisle
Each step
innocent and full of love
Each step
A nail into his coffin.