I’ve just got back from Contagious, the Bible-centred youth conference. It was amazing, and I’ll write more about some of the talks and seminars and stuff soon. The theme was the Resurrection, and while there I wrote and performed a poem on that theme, “inspired by” John Donne’s sonnet Death Be Not Proud.

Death Be Not Proud (Remix)

Oi Death! Think you’re tough?
Come and have a go if you’re hard enough!
You’re as close as shadow
Near as a stolen breath away
But my Lord Jesus is closer any day.

Really you’re a slave to all kind of things,
At the beck and call of war, famine
and the whims of kings.
But most of all if you come threatening me,
Jesus is the one who holds your key.

I fear you as much as, ooh, an afternoon snooze.
Because Jesus is risen, frankly, you lose!
In fact you’ll be a nice little rest
Waiting there with Jesus
Until he clothes me in new creation best.

It’s all because of that cosmic event,
when Jesus died for the reason he was sent,
A perfect life,
death in my place,
the grave couldn’t hold him –
to new life he was raised!
United to him, in this I trust:
Death, Jesus is gonna your ass bust!

One day, old enemy, I’ll bid you goodbye,
Because of Jesus, Death, you’re gonna die.