Feminine 101

Born to a barren mother calm and wise,

A nameless wife trusts heav’n in disguise.

In virtue she soothes her husband’s dismay

At the angel’s name, too wonderful to say.

To a people bowed low ‘neath cruel dominion,

An impossible babe, a hero was given.

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The providential boy grew to a man,

Whose love for the unworthy truly began,

The vengeance of God for His chosen house.

His wonderful mother finds in his chosen spouse,

The honorless daughter of their enemy,

And the heartache she’ll inevitably bring.

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But the LORD paves the path of his sorrows

That he’ll triumph in glory God only knows.

This man of strength with unshorn locks,

Tore the lion to pieces with scarcely a thought.

Now he goes to meet his faithless bride

Feasting on honey from the fallen pride.

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Clever and powerful is this champion.

A feast for the newlyweds thriving, halcyon

Propounds he in mirth a challenge, a riddle;

When her kin can’t guess, she proves herself fickle.

Clad in feminine wiles she drags out the key,

And the gall of the betrayed is plain to see.

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Cruel is the lesson of her manipulation,

Yet, perhaps not so cruel as his retribution.

When the smoke of scorched fields clears

Her people are slain in blood and tears.

And the charred remains of his wretched wife

Are all that remains of that wretched life.

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Solace he now seeks–just to be alone.

It’s not foes who find him in the cleft of stone.

But those craven of Judah scraping and bowing,

To heathen lords are they kowtowing.

No will in them to fight or dare resist,

In this icon’s arrest they dare only assist.

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Proven over and over is the hero’s might.

Today is no different, this one-sided fight.

The barbarian’s strength and donkey’s jawbone

Slayed a thousand men, then to dust was thrown.

That he was but a man, few would now believe,

Still he thirsted, cried to almighty God for reprieve.

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Again was he fated to love the unworthy.

A daughter of rivals and divided loyalty.

And not so enamored that he isn’t doubtful,

A wiser man now, he keeps his own counsel.

No doubt he relented with impatient breath

And at last his soul was annoyed unto death.

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We know not what became of his traitorous lover,

Only know how the brave was made to suffer.

She took his hair, his strength, and they his eyes,

Brave now in his weakness, he is despised.

Destined to champion a faithless people,

Now imprisoned, shamed, and feeble.

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In such a state, some might wonder why

Is this how the miracle child was to die?

Tragic is his path, but not without purpose.

Against his triumph their Dagon was worthless.

Few heroes throughout all of history

Have won in their death such victory.

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That by a dear one he was to be betrayed,

Reminds us of another who was mighty to save.

And like Him, in Samson’s sorrow we hope,

That we will not always, in darkness grope.

So honor that flawed and earthly paragon

Who points to the promised, the perfect One.

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A ballad of Samson as found in the biblical book of Judges 13-16.

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