by Nathaniel Okolo

We all have our crosses to bear
Shortness
Baldness
Tallness
Excessive hairiness
Making us feel all so inadequate
As if we were meant to be adequate
Adequate in ourselves
Ourselves, we only think of self
Self, selfish, always less selfless

Even the one who seems perfect
Still has a hidden flaw
The greatest human flaw;
Brokenness, Unwholesomeness, Sin

What was I saying about selfless?
Selfless
Only one has ever been selfless
Selfless in bearing His cross
Cross heavier than all of ours combined
Combined into one
One ugly, very jagged cross
Cross he had to bear
Bear all of our crosses
Crosses which combined to form one ugly jagged cross

Cross of sin, Cross of death
Cross of lust, Cross of hate

Hate He bore, Lust He bore
Death He bore, Sin He bore
Dead He was

Fought He did
Death He beat
Rose He did
Lord He is

Back to crosses
Crosses we bear
Bear, but no longer with our strength
Strength supplied by Him
Him who is our Lord

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Nathaniel Okolo is a poet, writer (with a focus on short stories and micro-fiction), an editor, and a medical student. He currently lives in Lagos, Nigeria. His work has appeared in literary magazines like Literary Yard and Qwenu among others.

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