Unknown

"Who are you?"

I asked him

as I stood before him once more

and struggled to understand

what had just happened

"Who are you?!"

I wanted to scream at all of them

the day I was told

that I had been talked about, lied about, ruined

that they had betrayed me

I never knew them

that is the truth

They loved me

they were my best friends

those were all lies

They kneel down to pray

they raise their hands in praise

they quote verses, chapters, hymns from memory

they take the hand of the Christian on either side

they are followed by admirers of their great faith and poise

As hell welcomes them

from earth's ever-receding boundaries

Sons and daughters of damnation, beware

beware the One you claim to know and laud

beware the One you reject in His hour of need

"Long live the king!"

the men shouted outside the castle gate

as the King lay in a ditch nearby

disguised with filth, pain, despair

disguised so that only love could recognize Him

"Help Me!"

He cried

but they only turned and mocked Him or told Him to be quiet

it was important they impress the guards at the gate

and associating with riff raff like Him
certainly wouldn't help their cause

"Don't you know me?"

each of them said come their judgement day in His courts

"I stood at the gate every day shouting your praises —
I loved you, I was loyal and faithful!"

But He said He did not know them and cast them out