The Sinner’s Lot

Over dark hills and winding roads
The pain and sorrow tightly hold
My soul so bleak and black
I lie silently halted in my tracks

Through the blowing wind and endless showers
Ever slowly is my heart devoured
The growing lump in my throat
Upon the endless bile I choke

Throughout the twisted night
I repeatedly attempt the ancient rite
Will you not wipe away my tears
Why must I always live in fear

Yet unheard remain my pleas
Regardless how often I go to my knees
That ship has long since sailed
Only one force did prevail

As my chest strokes I quietly cry
Now is not the time to die
I wish I had not chosen this path
All that is left to me now is Satan’s wrath

© Jared Denstad

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I came up with the above poem recently while reflecting upon what a friend of mine once told me. He does not believe in the existence of God, Jesus, or any higher power, but told me that he planned to have himself baptized and cleansed of his sins if he were ever on his death bed, just to ensure that if heaven exists he would make it in.

His plan made me wonder if, from a religious standpoint, it would ever be possible for God to reject someone who had lived a evil life, even if they were to repent at the very end of their life. It basically boils down to how bad do you have to be for a higher power to reject you even if you repent your ways at the end. While I am no religious scholar, I thought it made for a interesting thought experiment and came up with the poem you just read.

It is my hope that my poem, as well as the idea behind it, gives your mind something to chew on, whether you consider yourself a religious person or not. If you enjoyed it, feel free to follow me on Medium as I regularly post new poems 2–3 times a week. I look forward to seeing you all next time.