ACT I – The Light Descends
In the beginning, the light came to us—
Not as a sharp ray, but as a human—
To teach, wake us up to not miss the bus,
To follow what’s right so love can lumen.
That Human One sacrificed everything—
Even though there was no glory they sought—
But before enduring their own death’s sting,
They passed on their mission to those they taught.
Thought to be dead, those scared students knew not
Until they saw their Teacher once again.
Their mission given them—cleansed of their rot—
They knew to include all within their pen.
Yet, it didn’t take this “church” all that long
To forget their way and lose Christ’s love song.
ACT II – Matrimony to Manipulation
I, Marcion, loved till I left out too much...
And I, Origen, was too inclusive...
A hammer, I made the church exclusive—
You should know me—Athanasius and such.
Yes, dear chap, heretics were a nice touch;
I, Augustine, found babies abusive,
Thought they needed salvation—conclusive—
Those are the tarnished pearls I chose to clutch.
These are the voices of leaders now past,
Who filled the church with lots of notions—
Many good, but enough harm to kill fast
The teacher’s true word with hatred’s potions.
Others came and went to make hate outlast
In Love’s name—swelling the raging oceans.
ACT III – The Cross of Iron
Then an occurrence suddenly took place,
A tattered, homely bride married the beast
And, in their coital bier, had a lush feast.
The intercourse led to a conjoined face,
A haunting image—horrid—lacking grace.
Their army, under chi-rho, never ceased
Until it consumed the west, not the east,
And would grow until it ran out of space.
Never to fear—expansion further west
To get east—who’s caring?—God’s providence
Expansion pack start an endless vacuum,
Millennia of horror dominance,
Torturing, staking, killing all the rest—
Burnings best, leaving nothing to exhume.
ACT IV – Today’s Shallow Sanctuary of Shame
How wonderfully great is our awesome God,
His masculine grace rains down like semen.
How wonderfully great is our awesome God,
He spares the rich while drowning poor sea men.
God bless capitalism all the time,
For God helps those who help themselves,
Such as the powerful ones
Served on silver spoons.
Let all the children come...
Pro-life till birth...
Some priests cum
Escaping nature.
Bless us,
Vitality markers.
ACT V – The Choice of Two Altars
And here is where this play must find its close,
After traversing this treacherous way,
Where the Teacher’s words were taught to expose
How sin and evil lead us all astray.
Teacher made the altar the human heart,
Yet, some followers chose a diff’rent path—
They ditched the Human One right from the start,
Worshipped wealth and status—ignored God’s wrath.
Two altars erected under one name,
But in all honesty, none are alike—
One’s there to worship itself, such a shame,
The other where the truest faith will spike.
The question we must ask to end this show—
Want to switch your altars, now that you know?
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
First published on tristanrobertlange.com, November 14, 2025.
Tittu
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Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: November 14th, 2025 08:54
- Comment from author about the poem: Written in my original The Globe’s Stage composite form. I’m now published in an anthology featuring authors from across the Poconos, PA. All proceeds benefit the Pocono Liars Club — a collective of authors and editors dedicated to supporting and mentoring local writers. Available in paperback and Kindle, please consider purchasing one and supporting a great cause. https://a.co/d/58uxM69
- Category: Religion
- Views: 12
- Users favorite of this poem: Paul Bell, NinjaGirl
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Comments6
The division between good and evil, selflessness and selfishness. A somewhat dark journey with a bit of word play along the way. Nicely done Tristan
Dark, indeed. Much, the truth of Christian history is, sadly. And where that journey has led would be laughable, a true comedy, were it not true. It's where we are though, and the power of poetry is in pronouncing the truth in memorable ways. So mote it be. Blessings, my friend. Your perceptive read and words are always welcome and much appreciated! 🔥🕯️📜🙏
Most welcome my friend
As long as you say the magic words. '' Forgive me lord I have sinned.''
It's a get out of jail card, and the congregation bow in awe.
Either that or you get sent to darkest Africa till the dust settles.
Paul, you summed up the institutional dodge with a grin and a gut punch…this poem wrestles with the same sickness you just named. Grateful for the read and your presence, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Doh! I missed the No.7 bus right from the start of this poem! heehee. So did P as he was busy - with what, we can't say! lol. Dang it, he got in again.
It's the damn glugging noice that distracted you. He does it every time. Be sure not to miss bus 13 3/4...Ask Harry...he'll get you there even if that Weasley Ron bumbles things up. It is what it is. 🤣
The progression from the original purpose of the church, to those corrupting the messages of light, then the marriage of the secular power churches gain, to that very apt and sarcastic fourth act, to the true sacrifice on the alter being the heart--is fantastic. The critique on society (as per usual) is spot on, and especially considering what is right and what is wrong and what the truth is. Definitely a fav and I will be reading this more than once!
My friend… you read the arc exactly as I hoped someone would. The way you traced each act… the drift…the corruption…the bite of Act IV… and then the heart on the altar at the end…that means more than I can say right now. I’m grateful you caught the truth-work under all the satire and shadow. Thank you, truly. 🔥📜🕯️🙏
Always! Truly a fantastic piece!
🥰
This poem calls for reflection. Although it seems to be about Christianity, I can confidently say that in spirit it talks about the dichotomy of organised religions. Great job
My friend, you named the tension perfectly… it is about Christianity, as I can only speak to my faith, but your insight is exrtremely spot on as it is also about every system that forgets its center and replaces compassion with control. It really is less a "specific religion" thing and more a human system thing. I’m grateful you felt that broader truth. 🪶🔥📜🙏
And now a poem we can never reveal: 'A tale of two Popeyes'. Or if there's only one him, make it 'A tale of Popeye and Ol' Tom'. heehee.
Which Popeye would be glugging messier? And that second tale 😳. 🙀 Even the cat is scared for God's sake. The Old Testament is coming up with another set 630+ laws in preparation for this event! Not sure even that will help. Christ, he's decided to descend in the clouds rather than on them, just so he doesn't have to witness it! It's gonna be 🤮 He'll be hiding in the "cloud of witnesses", God help those poor souls...the ones Revelation clearly has crying out for God to end the horror! 🤣
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