Good Old Judas

Good Old Judas

Hiving off in the middle of supper

Barely noticed, like a minor player

Creeping along the back of the stage,

Drawing the attention of only the most

Observant members of the audience.

Looking back the disciples should have seen the signs,

But they were already having their world

Turned upside down by most of what Jesus said. 

Keeping an eye on the odd behaviour of

Number Twelve was low on the agenda.

And then he turns up in the garden –

Good old Judas! – leading a rabble,

Soldiers, servants, a few ruffians

In for the fun, and, as if to

Show he’s AOK, he gives that

Famous kiss, and sends two lives

On the road to destruction.

The disciples had been suspicious of

Him pilfering the purse. They noted his

Antagonism to a particular Mary. So they

Shouldn’t have been surprised to

Hear a bit of jingling in his pocket, except that

There was rather more jingling than they might have

Expected. 

None of them saw him again.  He

Went off with the rest of the crowd,

Turned his coat completely inside out and

Lost the point of all his Master said. 

Good old Judas:

Burnt his boats, lost the plot,

Took a rope and wound up dead.

First draft written while on holiday in Moeraki January, 2004 - previously published on Authspot