The Demoniac

By Gerald Sumeracki

The bones of hundreds filled the spot,
This graveyard he called home,
This demon-filled, lost soul of man,
Among the tombs did roam.

He screamed his pain and cut his skin,
With rocks and sticks he'd find,
The torment of his soul was shunned,
By those all left behind.

The demons filled his spirit now,
Their hold was fast and strong,
No one would dare approach the man,
The scribes said that was wrong.

It was a day of beauty, 
When from across the lake,
Did Jesus come to preach his word,
"Salvation you must take."

The tortured one spied Jesus,
And ran until he fell,
He begged the master from the dust,
"Please send us not to Hell."

"What is your name" asked Jesus,
The answer came in growls,
"My name's not one, but many,"
"A Legion's hate most fowl."

The Lord did see a herd of swine,
That grazed upon a hill,
"Into that herd of pigs you'll go,"
"And free this good man's will."

The demons flew in rage from him,
And did as he had willed,
The swine were filled with all their hate,
As ran they down the hill.

Into the waters did they speed ,
To drown among the waves,
The Lord had shown his mercy well,
With one of God's own saved.

The herdsmen swore at Jesus,
For causing such a loss,
They didn't see that one of them,
Was worth Christ's future cross.

For money was their pleasure,
Like wine all drunkards love,
So Jesus left their land to dust,
Just one man saw God's Dove.