Free Will Of Faithful Love

Free Will Of Faithful Love
© Surazeus
2025 01 26

His heart far out on blue bay watershine, 
Azrael floats over reeds like cool breeze 
that ruffles hair of children catching fish 
who follow Elasah on winding path 
back to village of huts among oak trees 
where their mothers roast fish over small fires. 

Walking back down to shore of the bright bay, 
Elasah confronts the angel of death. 
"Azrael, why are you following me? 
Did my father Eloh in his dark cave 
discover Jedidah will be my wife? 
He should respect her choice to marry me." 

Emerging from chilly shadow of fear, 
Azrael grips throat of the young shipwright. 
"You and your father with your privilege 
of wealth and ownership of all this land 
take everything, and leave nothing for us." 
Growling with angst, he lets Elasah go. 

"Before I joined angelic host of Eloh, 
and trained for combat with weapons of death, 
I met Jedidah with her emerald eyes 
while we both worked in Eden Apple Orchard, 
and we pledged to marry that harvest moon, 
but Eloh took her for his concubine." 

Slouching on wave-smooth boulder by the bay, 
Azrael growls, "I am not mad at you, 
for I am grateful that you rescued her, 
and freed her from selfish grasp of your father, 
but my heart aches with sorrow of despair 
because she chose you now instead of me." 

Young graceful girl from tree shadow appears 
and Jedidah kneels on the sandy beach. 
"Azrael, my heart will always be yours. 
I want to marry you as we had pledged, 
but I fear you will reject me as wife 
because I am no longer clean and pure." 

Kneeling before her in sand as she weeps, 
Azrael grasps her shoulders with sharp cry. 
"Intention of your heart to marry me 
because you love me and nobody else 
imbues your heart and soul with purity, 
so I accept you if you choose me first." 

After Jedidah and Azrael embrace 
and kiss with passionate pledge of true love, 
Elasah binds their hands with eglantine 
and declares, "With free will of faithful love 
your two hearts are bound as one mind in faith, 
so I rejoice at your union in marriage."