Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross - Titian Tiziano) b. 1490, d. 1576, Museo del Prado, Madrid

Roman soldiers conscripted Simon of Cyrene (in present day Libya) to help carry Jesus’ cross on the road  to Jesus’ execution for “subverting the nation and refusing to pay tribute to Caesar.”Here Steve Shoemaker imagines the event from the standpoint of Simon of Cyrene, who had gone to Jerusalem for Passover.

“Simon of Cyrene”  - Acrostic Verse  - Steve Shoemaker – Urbana, IL, April 22, 2012

Since I was in Jerusalem for Passover,

I  bought nice gifts both for my wife and the two boys.

Money I had, position in Cyrene, power…

Only meaning was missing, reason for my days.

Now my bags are knocked down and a Roman soldier

Orders me to carry a young condemned man’s cross.

From deep within his eyes I see a place of peace.

Crying women followed us all along the road.

Years later I could still recall, he turns and says,

Remove your tears for me, there are for you ahead

Even worse times to come:  no men,  no pregnancies,

No children, no city–for battles, sieges, war

End families, prosperity, leave just the poor.

What does Steve’s poem awaken in you? Leave a comment.

What do you see that you didn’t see before? Make Steve’s day. He’s lonely down there in Illinois flying his kite alone on the prairie.