Abba Moses the Robber the Black

(The continuation of my historical poem)

V

One day I went far alone without my boys.

A spirit, I did not understand drew me,

my conscience in pain, I hated myself

in this loneliness.

Why was I going out there alone?

Sketis. A colony of monks.

Oh! I hated such lambs, such easy prey.

I went there to steal what I could find.

It did have riches, but not of the material sort,

the kind I sought.

I prowled the premises, knife between my teeth.

I checked this door, that cell 

until, until, until...

I faced the abbot, a lean man

attired in a severely worn habit and mantle.

He knew who I was, KNEW my spirit.

He showed no fear, no disgust.

Only a serene love came from the calm, 

grey eyes.

I fell at his feet.

He laid his hand on my wooly head.

The wolf had become a lamb.

So it began.

So it began.

VI

So brother Moses are you sure?

Do you want to separate so soon from us?

Go alone out there?

I hardly encourage it, for are you ready

for the solitude and lack of support?

I looked in his gray eyes and said,

Father, I am ready.

Christ is sufficient.

I will not walk alone out there.

VII

I left Sketis.

Went far into the desert.

So much silence.

I was used to noise.

The vulgar jokes and songs of my old conrades

The giggles and flirting eyes of pretty, loose women.

A lone hawk seemed to follow 

and then again guide me to the destination.

The sun like a golden coin in the sky.

I found the place, built my cell,

but the water of life was too far!

I forgot that I must have water or die.

The distance to walk was far.

I lay and worried that first night

under a lapis lazuli sky,

the moon my only lamp.

Then He came to me, the hair of a Nazarite.

Olive skin, large all seeing eyes, 

a faint uni-brow. 

I knew Him immediately!

I stood on an unknown shore with sand

like gold dust.  He walked to me

on a sea of glass.  Huge wings of angels

covered the sky moving back and forth

to a heavenly song.

Holy! Holy! Holy!

Moses do not be afraid.

I awaken.

It was the first day.

VIII

I struggled with a mind long filled with sewage.

I remembered my boys.

I remembered the thrill of striking terror.

I remembered the Alexandrian prostitutes

with their bright eyes and plump bodies,

standing and beckoning before 

their fancy, low doors.

Den of thieves.

I remembered my knife drinking 

the lives of innocents.

I remembered driving off another man's

livestock and livelihood.

And I was ashamed.

Finally broken, I wept.

IX

I changed.

Jesus had mercy.

He had kept His promise.

Men no longed feared me.

They came for spiritual advice.

To sit and talk.

To drink in my words.

To witness my hospitality.

To see a feared man turned harmless.

What must we do to be good and serve God?

No man is good.

Only God is good.

We work, we pray 

to reach perfection.

It is gradual.

Sometimes we die before it is complete,

but God is merciful.

He understands the hearts of those who are evil,

but who long to be good.

He will help us.

Cooked,

cleaned,

washed the feet of others.

I no longer took from men or women.

I gave back.

Welcomed.

 

(To be continued)