We all know the first four seals,

the horsemen, carrying the power to kill,

by sword, plague, famine, create chaos

by any means available, necessary.

The fifth seal broken by Christ

allowed John to see the coming apocalypse,

an altar, thousands rallied, begging their Lord

for vengeance and retribution.

They were embittered, clamored for revenge

upon the unbelievers who had imprisoned, 

ruined the lives of and crucified

the Christian children of God.

The Lord gave them white robes

and told them to be patient,

when their fellow servants and brethren

were reunited there would be a reckoning.

The sixth seal ushered in cataclysmic doom,

quakes, sun blackened, the moon turned to blood.

Kings, rich and poor, the mighty and the meek

hid themselves from the devastation, the wrath.

The seventh seal, a peace settles in, angels

strike down the last of the infidels.

The final blow before the parade, the raising

of the flags, the concluding of the judgement. 

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Craig Kirchner is retired and living in Jacksonville. Fl., because that’s where his grandchildren are. He loves the aesthetics of writing, has a book of poetry, Roomful of Navels and has been nominated three times for Pushcart. He was recently published in Decadent Review, Chiron Review, Queen’s Review, The Main Street Rag, Hamilton Stone Review and about eight dozen others.He houses 500 books in his office and about 400 poems on a laptop. These words help keep him straight.