Bruce Dawe - And a Good Friday was had by all lyrics

You men there, keep those women back and God Almighty he laid down on the crossed timber and old Silenus my offside looked at me as if to say nice work for soldiers, your mind's not our own once you sign that dotted line Ave Ceasar and all that malarkey Imperator Rex well this Nazarene didn't make it any easier really - not like the ones who kick up a fuss so you can do your block and take it out on them Silenus held the spikes steady and I let fly with the sledge-hammer, not looking on the downswing trying hard not to hear over the women's wailing the bones give way the iron shocking the dumb wood Orders is orders, I said after it was over nothing personal you understand - we had a drill-sergeant once thought he was a God but he wasn't a patch on you then we hauled on the ropes and he rose in the hot air like a diver just leaving the springboard, arms spread so it seemed over the whole damned creation over the big men who must have had it in for him and the curious ones who'll watch anything if it's free with only the usual women caring anywhere and a blind man in tears