The Seven Deadly Sins

1 Comments

Poem Commentary

This poem was conceived from a conversation I had with my friend and fellow poet, Fegger. I was undecided on a subject for my next effort, so he suggested I do a piece personifying the seven deadly sins. I chose to include their Latin names as well as the demons traditionally associated in folklore with each sin.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Pride of Lucifer (Superbia)

Hatred incubated
in the belly of his Creator;
He is Superbia In Personam,
and the world is his the-atre,
but humanity his prize.

A chalice drunk in malice,
On his lips is blasphemy:
"I shall rise above my Maker
and the world shall bow to me.
Can't you see it in my eyes?"


Mammon's Greed (Avaritia)

Silver his King, and gold his Queen,
he bows at the throne of a curse;
for it's riches he craves,
and each penny he saves
shall deepen and widen his purse.

Stealing from rich and hoarding from poor,
Avaritia fills up his vaults;
and no matter the sum
of the monies that come,
'tis mammon that Mammon exhalts.



Lust of Asmodeus (Luxuria)

Lo, there 'neath the fig tree lies
another's wife, Luxuria's prize:
"See there! How she does beckon me!
How thus, does fate reckon me?
Shall I rest here in my longing?
Shall I make her my belonging?
What does draw me to desire
a man's beloved, as a fire?"



Leviathan's Envy (Invidia)

I focus not on what I've got,
for I want yet what I can't get;
those things I see, and want for me,
I do not require, only desire.

If not aware those things were there,
I'd feel no yen to have them then.
All that is yours, my heart abhors;
but still I pine to make it mine.



Gluttony of Beelzebub (Gula)

He roams the earth with drooling tongue,
a predator nocturnal;
with no regard for old or young,
his hunger is eternal.

Flesh and blood he preys upon,
belly bloated by such feast;
and when his banquet's all but gone,
their souls will feed the beast.


Amon's Wrath (Ira)

I, Amon, declare my scorn
upon every creature God has borne.
With brimstone and with Hades' fire,
I now prepare their funeral pyre.
And with my breath, I stoke the flames;
And with my lips I curse the names
of every soul that's born of God,
until the last of them has trod
across the earth I now lay waste,
and with it, every virtue chaste.
Into Almighty's face I spit,
and cast his sheep into the pit;
I dare thee, Come now, leave thy perch,
and spare from me thy tepid Church.
For I declare their sacred troth
is rendered null through idle sloth.


Sloth of Belphegor (Acedia)

Hush little Christian, don't you cry;
Sleep to Acedia's lullaby.
Tucked inside your sacred bed,
Cast your crown and rest your head.

Sing a hymn of heaven's bliss,
it's God's will that it's come to this.
A song of praise will calm your fears,
the neighbor's cries won't reach your ears.

Kneel you down and say a prayer
Amon's wrath can't touch you there.
Pull the sheets above your eyes;
blind you as your neighbor dies.

Resting in salvation's womb,
you'll be spared your neighbor's doom;
the gospel hid upon your shelf,
your neighbor brought this on himself.

And when you wake from slumber deep
all God's promises He'll keep:
the rapture that's awaiting you,
Damnation for those hating you.

A lake of fire shall quench their hate
and light your way to heaven's gate;
From there you won't hear beneath,
weeping souls and gnashing teeth.


Epilogue

The Seven Deadly Sins thus spake
the goal they have in mind;
A diabolical plot to make
victims of all mankind.

In answer to each dreadful Sin
now Virtues call to man;
and every heart they're found within
can thwart the Wicked's plan.

To Pride, they say Humility
To Greed, they answer, Charity
To Lust, they offer Chastity
and Kindness answers to Envy

To Gluttony, say Temperance
and Patience answers Wrath
To Sloth, they call for Diligence
to find the higher path.

To Superbia, Avaritia
To Luxuria, Invidia;
Ira, Gula, Acedia:
Amor vincit omnia!

(Love conquers all!)

Poem Comments

(1)

Please login or register

You must be logged in or register a new account in order to
leave comments/feedback and rate this poem.

Login or Register

beldobie commented on The Seven Deadly Sins

04-08-2010

Words to stir my soul and make me think long and hard look at myself. Definetly food for thought.

When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Thirty-fifth President of the USA

RJGardner’s Poems (14)

Title Comments
Title Comments
Diary of a Woman 4
The Seven Deadly Sins 1
A Love to Die For 1
Avalon 2
A Measured Life 1
Winds of Fate 1
The Castaway 1
Where Have You Gone, Billie Jean? 2
Firefly 0
Wings of Evil 1
Maybe 1
O Jasmine 1
Poet's Block 3
Cathedral 0