Garden of Shadows: A Prose Poem of Betrayal and Divine Justice #1155

Garden of Shadows: A Prose Poem of Betrayal and Divine Justice In the dim light of betrayal, where shadows lengthen into the night, mercy and truth embrace with a solemn kiss. Amid the quiet murmur of olive trees, Judas steps forward—his lips whispering a tragedy in the guise of devotion. "Hail, Master!" he cries, sealing fate with a kiss, the cold touch of silver chilling the warm air. Jesus, the embodiment of grace, turns to him, eyes filled with a sorrow deep as the coming darkness. "Friend, why are you here?" His question, a gentle breeze in the storm of impending despair, speaks of a betrayal foretold, a heartbreak scripted in celestial ink. Far from this garden, another scene unfolds under the prophetic gaze of Micah, where scales of injustice weigh heavily against the soul. The city's rich cloak themselves in violence, their words sharp as swords, cutting through the fabric of truth. Deceit festers like a wound, and from this wound flows a decree—divine and relentless. The people shall eat, but never be filled; their hands shall gather, but never hold. Everything they cherish, every grain and every dream, shall be swept away, surrendered to the sword of judgment. For in the echoes of their lies and in the silence of their greed, the heavens have spoken. Thus, in the heart of betrayal and under the shadow of justice, mercy and truth meet once more. They kiss, not in greeting but in farewell, as the dance of divine balance continues—painful, beautiful, and utterly transcendent. Written by Steven G. Lee (May 3, 2024)