Poems & Such by - Anne Bryant-Hamon: 2013

The gates of paradise

From the grave-bed and the winding sheet
Is a long way for dead feet
A dark road for dead eyes
That leads to the gates of paradise

When Judas’ soul went through the night
To knock on Hades gate
His way over the whin-pricked moor
And the noise of the wind was great

He had no lantern to his feet
Nor candle in his hand
Such as God gives to every man
That dies at the time planned

The angels sit in highest heaven
And trim the lamps of God
And all day long make the lights for those
That travel deaths dim road

And when the cross is on thy bosom
The chrism on thine eyes
Thy angel will bear down thy night
Out of the starry skies
And thou therewith shalt walk by night
Safely to paradise

But whoso doth so deadly sin
To cast his life away
Finding his lamp not lit betimes
Walks through the midnight grey

For a long time night and half a day
Did Judas walk alone
Through the utter dark, for in that place
Is neither sun or moon

For a long night and half a day
Did Judas vainly seek
To reach the gates of paradise
The salt tears on his cheek

With that he saw a candle gleam
Borne by a hasty man
And Judas caught him by the cloak
So swiftly as he ran

O let me walk with thee, kind friend
I grope, I fail, I fall
I have no lamp nor candle-light
And the night is over all

Full gladly, so thou make good speed,
I run to keep tryst
That was given to me at the gates of hell
By sweet king Jesus Christ

I am the thief who God forgave
On Calvary bitter tree
For “to-night,” he said thou shalt rest thine head
In paradise with me

And I am the man that sinned such a sin
As the world remembers not
That sold for a price the lord of life
Judas Iscariot

Now God forbid, thou damned wretch
That ever this should be
That I should tryst with Jesus Christ
In the company of thee

The first robber went his way,
And Judas walked alone
Mirk, mirk was the black midnight
That heavy wind made moan

Right so there came a second man
Was walking by the road
O brother let me share thy light
As far as Hell’s abode

Now well I fear, my brother dear
Thou never wilt walk with me
I am that thief which railed on Christ
All on his bitter tree

I cast shame on king Jesus then
Wearing his painful crown
And scorn upon his royal head
Whence the pale sweat dripped down

O Rudd-red were the five blest wounds
Where nails and spear went in
A thousand, thousand years of purgatory fire
Never can cleanse my sin

Why never I wee’ said Judas then
Did two such sinners meet;
I sold King Christ to the bloody Jews,
That pierced his hands and feet

Art thou that man groth the robber
Most cursed under the skies
God do so with me if I go with thee
To the gates of paradise

The second robber went his way
And Judas walked alone
Till he was aware of a grey man
That sat upon a stone
And the lamp he had in his right hand
Shone brighter than the moon

Come hither, come hither thou darkling man
And bear me company
This lamp I hold will give us light
Enough for thee and me

Judas walked with the grey-clad man
And fear is in his heart
Speak yet again thou man in grey
And tell me what thou art

I bought a burden of deadly sin
And needs must pay the price
I bear it hither in my hand
To the gates of paradise

Sin cannot lie upon thy heart
So heavy as on mine
Nay, sinner whosoever thou art
Tis a heavier load than thine
He hath not asked Judas’ name
And Judas makes no sign

If sin is heavy on thy heart
And I must bear its weight
It is fit that we should go together
To tryst at Hades gates

Judas walked with the grey-clad man
And feared to tell his name
He clasped his hand in the barren land
Bright burned the lanterns flame
Brotherli-wise and hand in hand
To paradise they came

Satan looked out from Hades gate
His hand upon the key
Good souls before I let you in
First tell me who ye be

We be two men that died of late
And come to keep hell tryst,
This is Judas Iscariot
And I am Jesus Christ

Written by Dorothy L. Sayers