Jefferson's Bible

Submitted by Anna on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 05:10

You cut the words and paste them back
So that the law will give you slack.
The Book, unprecious, becomes a Thing
In which you make a paper string
Of men in your image, conformed to your shape.
You never worshipped; now you try to escape.
And in the end the truth will go,
But you don’t care; you already know.

The words you write inspire my world.
In your time, freedom and rights unfurled.
The Creator who endowed you, inalienably his,
Has a Word which above your scissors transcends.
Snip away, snip away, but you can never destroy;
I just wish you would see that He isn’t your toy.
For in the end the truth will go,
But you don’t care; you already know.

Jefferson, everyone starts like you:
Cutting and pasting, marring what’s true.
We can’t stand before real, pure light
Without being burned and shown to be blind.
Your whittled-down Bible will be famous one day
As the mark of a man who let grace slip away.
But by that grace, some people know;
They don’t always want the truth to go.
 

Author's age when written
16
Genre

Comments

Good poem, Anna :)

 Isn't it funny how people try to paint him as a great man? If we heard about someone now-a-days who had done that, I don't think we Christians would look up to him at all, no matter what he had done that was good.

*************************************************
The best stories are those that are focused, unassuming, and self-confident enough to trust the reader to figure things out. --

http://lauraeandrews.blogspot.com/2014/05/dont-tell-me-hes-smart.html

I love this poem, Anna! The last stanza is especially true. I've always thought Jefferson's Bible such a tragic reminder of man's sin and turning away from truth. Great writing! :) 

I find that whole event terribly sad, but we can still admire some of Jefferson's other works while acknowledging his faults

Formerly Kestrel

I find that whole event terribly sad, but we can still admire some of Jefferson's other works while acknowledging his faults

Formerly Kestrel

Excellent poem, Anna. Well done.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Brother: Your character should drive a motorcycle.
Me: He can't. He's in the wilderness.
Brother: Then make it a four-wheel-drive motorcycle!

Laura & Kestrel: I agree with Kestrel more, actually - we can still admire certain things about him. As I pointed out, his words were inspiring, and every human is born a sinner who rejects God. Thank you both for your input! 

Teal: Did the last line strike you? Good, for a while I wasn't sure about it.

Mary: Thank you. :)

I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. --The Book Thief

 This poem is so well written, Anna! It's so sad what Jefferson did; I thought he was a Christian until I found out yesterday at Church what he did. But...Keep up the good work! 

God Bless!

~Lucy