if jesus was a man...

what then? could he still

  walk upon a crimson sea,

feed people body and soul

  would he still be someone

that we know?

  would mary have shed

one less tear

  in fear of his impending fate,

would any saint requite his vow

  to seek the truth in any way?

would he have chosen life or death

  seeing that the end was near

when every friend denied his name

  might his faith have disappeared?

would all the martyrs now and then

retract a single prayer or praise

and would we love him any less

or put ourselves there in His place?

Poetry Magazine