Newspapers / St. Andrews University Student … / Nov. 22, 1991, edition 1 / Page 11
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IVIov. 22, 1991 The Lance * St. Andrews Presbyterian College V, Page 11 Belladonna I stand upon the icy glacier An exile of the poisonous heart Condemned to live my life alone Condemned in my prison of stone My eyes of snow-driven blue Stare out upon the killing sea Across the blood stained reef Home to you The long black hair that dances on the wind Exudes the essence of the deadly bloom The blood I bleed, blackened incense Black behind an alabaster guise of innocence And I long to touch you To lay warm in your arms But to do so would condemn you to death Watch your britde skin crumble, Like the ancient rose So I dwell alone on my steel island Poison arctic flower And I dream of your kiss -Janet Francher 1991 Haiku from Molinario frost on the windshield chilling my morning sky sings silent blues -1cm london bridge swirling cardinal in Notre Dame feeding the masses -1cm just like Rimbaud mirrored souls sold, yes my mind escapes -1cm wood must be easier to work with than paper, sculptures breathe, i suffer -1cm The Modern Acts by Gary L. Brazzell Editor’s Note: This is n two part series. The second. Act will follow in the Dec. 11th issue. The stark moonlight glittered against the silver shekels as they fell through the silent, black night. The owner of the field bent down to count the coins he had poured onto his weaved mat. He looked up to Judas and whispered with some surprise, “These are temple coins.” “Yes,” replied Judas. “I threw them to the grovmd before the high priest as I told you I did, but he sent them back to me by messenger. This money is not go(xi enough for him. It is blood money.” The man grinned at the irony of it. “So you are paying me for the field with the same money that was used to arrest Jesus. TTiey look very com mon for such important coins. I would expea it to bum my hands or at least give light.” The man knew he was torturing Judas. He glanced up toward Judas to catch his expression. The expression he wore was not as the mai had expected. It was simply exhausted. His speech was a little slowed by Ae pitiful face above him. Afi"aid to look at the face again, the man directed his attention toward the poney and finished his attack less forcefiilly. “I am disappointed.” He finished counting the thirty coins and Stood erea again. Still not daring to look into Judas’s fece, tiie man said, “It’s all there. The field is yours.” “It’s not mine. I have purchased this field for the numbers of the brethren.” Judas saw confusion in the face of the man, so he ex plained. “I will never be able to atone for my sins against our savior, but the Lord in his loving memory will forgive me.” At hearing that, the man glared at Judas with skepti cism, but Judas continued undaimted “Now, I am left with the question of the money that was gained in the sin. Before, it repulsed me as it does the priest, but now I see that it can do good just as any other money is capable of doing good. So tomorrow, before my brethren, I will offer this field as a gift, that we may have a place of our own to gather and worship.” “They look very common for such important coins. I would expect it to bum my hands or at , least^ive li£fht.” Theman shook his head v and faced the ground. He thov^ht about the various warnings he could give to Judas. He could tell Judas how unwise it was to bring the matter up again at aU. But something cai^t all the words in the man’s diroat He was usually not so moved by the troubles of others, aixi he found it odd that he should feel anything for this man of all people. His onfy response was, “Gotoyourbr^enthea” ■ The man faded into the ^ blackness, and Judas pulled^ heavy robes tighter against his body to protect him from the cold night. He turned and began his long walk back to Jerusalem. He traveled to the heart of the dty where brown, dusty, two and three story builings stood crammed together. The street was a dark series of steps. Each step was about five feet long and seven feet wide. Where ^e steps ended, the buildings began. Judas turned toward one of these buildings, pushed open the wooden door, and entered into a glowing, warm room. The expressions of the nine men in the room were not as warm. The Ketiothian felt more uncomfortable than usual as he looked into the room of Galileans. Some of their fkes were anxusii^. Scrnie showed pity for Judas. And some showed for him. Judas lifeai none of these faces. “What is wrong?” he asked as he walked farther into the room. There was a moment of silence because none of the , disciples present wanted to talk. Eventually, Matthew spoke in a low toned whispCT. Matthew was one of the ones Who wore a face of fear for Judas- “Peter and John wish to see you in the upper room,” he saii Judas looked to the ladder that lead to the square hole cut m die ceiling. He took a deep breath, went to , the ladder and climbed to tlje upper room. Peter and John were already expecting Judas when he emerg^ through the hole. “Welcome, Judas,” John whispered timidly. “Thank you. What is the matter?” Peter spoke with the strongest voice Judas had heard since he had entered the house. “Where have you been tonight?” “I was on the outskirts of the city, with a man who owned a field.” Fm asking you one last time. What were you doiti^ ton^ht?” Peter continued his questioning. “What were you doing there?” Judas frowned, bit his bottom lip, and turned the questioning back on Peter. “Why are you interrelating me? What is wrong?” No one gave Judas an answer. They just probed his face for some sign of secrecy. “Stop tortur ing me like this! Tell me what is th“ matter!” John answered, “Jesus Christ our Lord was amongst us today teaching about how a man can grow in spirit and how this path of growth leads (r> the Kingdom of God.” Judas interrupted, “It is always good when our Lord visits, and I am sorry I missed him. But I do not think that my absence was any call to treat me this way.” John’s words became stronger and more fluid with his second attempt to speak to Judas. “It is not your absence that we were coiKemed with Judas. In the middle of his teachings, Jesus suddenly became very sad. He looked to Peter and said, “Peter, you must find Judas. Do not Jillow his gift into your hands for this is not the plan for him.” Peter rook a step toward Judas, “Now, I’m asking you one last time. What were you doing tonight?” To this point, Judas had been somewhat inspired by the good deed that he had done. This one deed was the cmly thing Judas could concen trate on for his entire trek home. It was the only thing that could make him feel good about himself anymore. His larynx seemed to swell, and his eyes b^an to sting. As he raced to the ladder, he managed to choke out the words, “Just making more mistakes.” Judas didn’t bother to climb down the ladder. He just dropped to the lower floor. liie impaa sent shocks through his wooden sandals into his calves. He strode out the door quickly. None of the other disciples moved, except for Matthew. Matthew hesitated for a few moments. Then, with sudden determination, he darted for the door. Those few moments were too long. Matthew peered up and down the moonlit street and saw nothing but shadows. He stepped out to the middle of the street and called upwards with the fiill force of his voice. “Judaaaas! Judas!” Matthew, trying to dedde, looked to his left and his right Now his emotions had woimd his body like a tight coil, and he felt the need to move. He turned to his right and began to run down the street.
St. Andrews University Student Newspaper
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Nov. 22, 1991, edition 1
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