PrintPoem – LOST IN TRANSLATION (By Ray Gallucci)
LOST IN TRANSLATION
(based on “The Hidden History of Jesus and the Holy Grail” by Sir Laurence Gardner, Nexus Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 2, February-March 1998)
If records of the Celtic Church
From A.D. 37 stretch?
How could they then of Jesus learned
If died in 33?
Recovered from the Dead Sea Scrolls,
Supported by Rennes-le-Chateau,
“The Greatest Story Ever Told”
Writes history differently.
Appears the Gospels spoke in code
With words like “fishes, clouds and loaves”
Conveying meaning only those
Initiated knew.
“This is for those with ears to hear,”
That special phrase that made it clear
That words meant not what they appeared
To Roman, Greek or Jew.
Did Jesus die upon the Cross?
Was Gentiles’ gain the Hebrews’ loss?
Or is it all a fable glossed
By early Christian Rome?
Was Jesus born in 6 B.C.?
Did rare conjunction planets three
Comprise the Star of history
Reputed to have shone?
Or was it 12 years later when
Augustus ordered that a census
Of all Roman lands be done,
As written down by Luke?
Turns out there’s no discrepancy
For Jesus was of royalty.
Bar mitzvah “birth” in 6 A.D.
What Luke alluded to.
And other 12 to which referred?
When in the Temple he conferred
With members of the Elders learned,
Was really 24.
Add 12 to his bar mitzvah date,
Then find the passages relate
To Jesus’ “Fatherly” debate
Prescribed by Jewish law.
Could Jesus hail from Nazareth,
Not founded until after death
Supposedly he underwent
When Pilate ruled the land?
No, Jesus was a “Nazarene.”
“From Nazareth” it did not mean,
But rather one of the Essenes,
A liberal Jewish band.
When summoned Lazarus from the tomb,
Already dead he’d been assumed.
But just what was it Jesus proved
To be the master of?
‘Twas only ritualistic death.
For Lazarus’ lungs still filled with breath
When Jesus “Be forgiven,” said,
“You’ve ‘suffered’ long enough.”
And likewise when came Jesus’ turn
To suffer “death” his crimes had earned,
Was punished with the thorn and scourge
Then nailed onto a cross.
Though Jesus had been crucified,
Must we conclude that he had died?
Perhaps he actually survived
And into tomb was tossed.
But not before his friends attended
To his wounds and, thus, prevented
Death so could be “resurrected”
After three days passed.
And so upon first Easter morning,
Jesus found himself “reborn”
When “Father” he’d implored performed
The “Resurrection” masque.
And who was first to greet him when
Returned from “death” to life again?
Beloved Mary Magdalene,
His Messianic bride.
That first time she’d anointed him
Was more than just some girlish whim –
It signified she bore within
Herself their growing child.
When babe was born in 33,
A half year after Calvary
At time of the “Ascension,” Jesus
Left his family home.
‘Twas not to heaven where he went,
But to an Essene settlement,
Fulfilling the requirement
To spend three years alone.
Returned to Mary and their daughter.
And within a year they brought
Another child into the world.
And this one was a he.
Though separated twice as long,
When six years passed, again they spawned.
A second son to them was born,
Completing family.
But just before this final birth,
From Palestine set Mary forth
To reach the Gallic southern shores
Where started life anew.
Though Jesus died in Palestine,
Already he’d assured his line,
The Sangréal of later time,
Or “Holy Grail” to you.
But Jesus’ brother went abroad
With Mary into southern Gaul
Where niece and nephews heeded call
Of Jesus’ legacy.
This brother was none other than
“Arimathea,” meaning an
Anointed prince of Jesus’ clan,
The James of history.
Perhaps the stories of romance
‘Tween Arthur, Guenevere and Lance
Were more than just some myths enhanced
By Medieval fools.
For Arthur was a Celtic King
Whose mother came from Magdalene’s
And Jesus’ line, with father linked
To Jesus’ brother’s brood.
An heir of double royal descent,
A Jesus-like embodiment.
So still endures that prime connection
‘Tween the Grail and him.
Proclaimed the Code of Chivalry,
With honor, truth and charity,
Directly from the teachings Jesus
Transferred to his kin.
Descendants bearing Jesus’ name
Tradition’s “Fisher Kings” became.
They ruled before Great Charlemagne
Was chosen by the Pope.
The Merovingians of France,
Who “fished” for souls and ruled Provence,
Were seen as threats to Vatican’s
Agenda of control.
So Church endeavored to distort
The life that Jesus lived before,
Declaring Mary just a whore
And Jesus Son of God.
‘Twas necessary to convince
That Jesus was a Christ, not prince
Who took a wife and fathered children,
To erect façade.
For Church of Rome could not abide
Mere women sitting side by side
With bishops, lest their vainful pride
Be challenged in the least.
So chose they to suppress the knowledge
Shared among some people common:
It was not the Cross upon which
Jesus’ breathing ceased.
Returning from the Holy Land
Came Templar Knights with proof in hand
That for millennium commanded
Jesus’ heirs respect.
So Church commenced the Inquisition,
Purging any whose religion
Contradicted their position
When perceived a threat.
Amid their cries of “Heresy!”
Exterminating Chivalry,
The Church destroyed all memory
Of Jesus’ rightful heirs.
Or so they thought, for embers smolder
Still beneath the ashen bones
Of Cathar martyrs who had sown
The legends of the Grail.
Author Bio:
I am a Professional Engineer who has been writing poetry since 1990. I am an incorrigible rhymer, tending toward the skeptical/cynical regarding daily life. I have been fortunate to have been published in poetry magazines and on-line journals such as NUTHOUSE, MOTHER EARTH INTERNATIONAL, FEELINGS/POETS’ PAPER, MÖBIUS (when Jean Hull Herman published), PABLO LENNIS, MUSE OF FIRE, SO YOUNG!, THE AARDVARK ADVENTURER, POETIC LICENSE, THUMBPRINTS, UNLIKELY STORIES, BIBLIOPHILOS, FULLOSIA PRESS, NOMAD’S CHOIR, HIDDEN OAK, PABLO LENNIS, POETSESPRESSO, SOUL FOUNTAIN, WRITER’S JOURNAL, ATLANTIC PACIFIC PRESS, DERONDA REVIEW, LYRIC, THE STORYTELLER, WRITE ON! and DANA LITERARY SOCIETY.