The
pope and the people
Rallied
for more crusades.
Rulers
left their lands.
Frederick,
the Emperor.
Leopold,
the Austrian.
Richard,
the Lion Heart.
An
insult caused a rift
Between
the Austrian and Lion Heart.
The
Lion Heart was captured.
Held
for ransom.
The
lion’s heart broke
Mourning
the loss of a friend turned enemy.
“I
would sell London,”
He
whispered in his shackles,
“If
I could find a suitable purchaser.”
The
Emperor drowned
Harassing
the Roman son.
The
cause that the urban on preached
Was
lost.
Many
people died.
Some
at the hands of Christian men
Who
did the unspeakable in the name of God.
God
wasn’t directing those men.
Greed,
pride and prejudice were their leaders.
No
one was safe.
Jew
and Turk alike were killed.
It
was alright as long as they said their prayers and go to church
Anointing
themselves in Christ’s waters.
The
priests protested.
True
believers of the cause tried to do right.
It
was no use.
God
was no longer on their side.
As
knights stole relics from Constantine’s city
“Never,”
they said,
“Was
so great an enterprise.”
They
came because God told them to.
They
stayed to get rich.
They
crossed themselves with one hand
Pocketing
gold with the other
“So
everything from common houses to the Church of God.”
“Were
filled with men of the enemy.”
“This
is an affront to God,”
The
pope shouted.
Then
he whispered behind his back,
“See
if they can wrap it with a nice bow.”
Many
still believed in the righteousness of the cause.
Remember
the good people who believed in the cause.
Remember
the ones who did it for God.
Not
for greed.
Still
fighting erupted in other places.
Spain
reconquered Iberia.
Children
tried for the Holy Land
But
were captured by pirates.
Danes
tried to cleanse their neighbors
Of
“heathen” people.
God
may not have given them the kingdom
But
he did give them something else.
In
the end the inner pilgrimage became important.
Remember
the lessons learned here.
Otherwise
old wounds be opened.
