Ron Baron
© 1999
The Pygmy God
He shuffled down the narrow trail
the jungle steaming hot
A place to meditate . . . .then die
and let his bones just rot
The place from which he came was full
of stress and strain and strife
Now all mixed up at twenty one
he sought to end his life
Two tiny darts hit neck and arm
each caused a burning sting
With venom they were tipped and soon
he wouldn't feel a thing
His senses reeled - three tiny men
had come into his view
Head hunters were these pygmy men
he knew what they might do
He thrashed around through brush and vines
each minute losing power
To them he must have seemed a giant
a weaving six-foot tower
But soon he stumbled falling down
he lay there on the ground
A marijuana joint his last
he reached and quickly found
His pocket also held some pills
just which he didn't know
He slammed it all into his mouth
and hoped the pain would go
He woke and found he wasn't dead
with sweat his clothes were damp
They'd gotten help and somehow brought
his body to their camp
The marijuana, pills and such
had stopped the darts effect
His arm was badly swollen and
great pain was in his neck
Next morning half the tribe was there
and stared at him in awe
Rejecting death had proved to them
a god was what they saw
A cross he'd worn the day before
now hung beside the bed
An eerie scepter hanging ‘round
a sacred shrunken head
He'd been a bible student but
rejected what it taught
Could now the cross be used to reap
a life he hadn't sought
They stared at him and then the cross
for nearly half an hour
It seemed they thought the cross must be
symbolic of his power
They brought him food and gifts and then
they knelt down at his feet
He waved the cross to signal that
their worship was complete
They made a longer spear for him
and too a special knife
He had the choice of all the girls
and need not take a wife
He hunted with the men and killed
more game and larger too
In battle fought beside the chief
their enemies he slew
For months he lived a carefree life
and played their godly game
But slowly in his soul he felt
a creeping sense of shame
He placed the cross around his neck
and to the tribe announced
Henceforth they'd see as he'd decree
new judgement be pronounced
The things he taught seemed strange at first
don't steal, don't kill, don't lust
Don't covet what your friend may have
and strive to earn his trust
He taught them he was just a priest
to show what must be done
They learned to praise another "God"
the true and only "One"
In years that followed all the tribe
enjoyed love and peace
And came to live in hope and joy
and war and killing cease
But one day evil raised it's head
a murder someone did
They searched and found the guilty one
where he had fled and hid
The judgement they'd been taught now said
a price must thus be paid
A sacrifice for this dark deed
be on an altar laid
They asked the one who taught them now
perform their chosen will
He said he couldn't do this task
no longer could he kill
When asked what would be done by them
they asked what choice have we
He said perform your sacrifice
but now instead on me
They tied his hands behind him to
a tree the way he said
Then blew their darts and as before
they thought he'd not be dead
His head slumped down and for a time
they waited patiently
But life would not return that day
in death his soul would flee
Years later when the tribe was found
by men from distant lands
The works of he who died were shown
a small church still there stands
When asked how they had learned of God
and knew that Jesus saves
The tribesmen took them out behind
the church and showed them graves
But there was one with precious stones
and gifts laid all around
A tiny silver cross hung from
a spear stuck in the ground
When one man from the group had read
the name upon the cross
He said, "this fellow worked for me,
I used to be his boss-
This guy was bad he lied and stole
now here he lies-how odd !
He ran away and came out here
then gave his life to God
It's hard to judge a man and know
what he'll turn out to be
I hope that someday I might be
as fine a man as he!"