The following is drawn loosely from a documentary I saw and from watching scary movies. Please be warned there is disturbing content and imagery that may be triggering.
The elderly priest
shuffles down
the stone path,
carefully balancing
with his cane, which is
carved with the
long-suffering face
of a blood-soaked,
thorn-crowned Jesus.
*
His cottage lies
at the bottom of
a lush valley.
He’s lived there
for 20 years,
since quietly retiring with a
full papal pension.
A free man forever,
with the blessings of Rome.
*
His victims, through
electronic grapevines, have
found each other.
They meet, they talk,
they cry, they support.
They wonder,
what ever happened to
the vampire who
stole their innocence.
*
They’ve prayed for
deliverance from
flashbacks and
their carved out souls.
Through the tangled
grapevines, they find him.
In their years of shared support,
they find strength
to confront him.
*
They fly together,
then rent cars.
Over foothills of spectacular
mountains, teeming with life,
and down valleys of only light,
they finally see his mailbox.
There’s no driveway, only the stone path.
At the top of the hill, they
make their way down towards the cottage.
*
In the distance, they see a stooped form
with a cane, slowly making its way
to a lovely thatched cottage.
It begins to rain.
They start running and call out,
“Father John! Father John!”
Father John turns and sees them.
He turns back and throws the cane,
running as he can.
*
He slips
and falls
forward,
sliding,
hands outstretched.
His bony cranium cracks
on granite,
the sound echoing
to the approaching group.
*
As they stand around him, watching
life ebb away, a crack of lightning
strikes the ground near Father John.
A chasm in the mountainside opens.
As a puppet is pulled out of a case,
Father John’s body is pulled into
the chasm. Roaring red flames
shoot out. Thunder booms and
the chasm shuts.
*
The 17 men and women awake,
sodden from the rain, on the grass of a
mountainside. They wipe their faces
and look around. Who are these people?
Why am I here? None can remember.
They follow the stone path upwards
to their waiting cars.
The sun bursts through the clouds,
and their hearts are full.
Tao Talk 
Powerful – it’s an easy word to throw around, but I mean it. I think the power of this poem lies in its casual tone, the careful understatement, the bare facts. I’ve often wondered whether priests such as him believe their God will forgive them, or if they even believe in the God they preach about.
LikeLiked by 2 people
thank you for your kind words. i wonder about those things too. i wonder if, because the religion says they are stand-ins for God that they actually start to believe it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Little tin Gods, into child abuse… Since I think that the God we read about in the Bible is less than perfect, what with all that drowning of his children when Noah built the ark, and his jealousy issues, it’s possible.
I hope my remark doesn’t offend you I don’t know your religious views.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I believe in God/Goddess, but only outside the bounds of any religion. The Bible was written by humans and humans created God in their image sadly :(
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s my view of the Biblical God. As for my beliefs, I sit on the fence, but have a lot of respect for those who find their own route to faith.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Just retribution! But does it happen in real life?
I agree, you have cleverly understated which makes it so powerful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your thoughts and comments. It is a tough subject to write about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is indeed. But you did justice to it. You are so welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, very powerful. The way you have expressed it seems to strengthen the message. A whisper can travel further than a shout. :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
thank you for your kind words, Kristian
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome. :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! Powerful.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I didn’t see the other comments before I wrote that. I guess redundancy confirms.
LikeLiked by 2 people