WARNING: I am not a poet and have just started trying my hand at it, so this may or may not be good! If it is, yay! If it isn't (structurally especially) please give me a constructive critique! Thanks!

I am your savior

I am there when you are in class, taking a test you haven't studied for

When you sit next to the kid with a 4.5 GPA

When his paper would be easy to glance at

I am the one who keeps you from being a cheat

You fail the test, but win a battle.

I am your savior

I am there when you see a twenty-dollar bill fall out of some kid's backpack

When you can feel the weight of the thin paper in your hand

When you briefly fantasize about what you could buy with it

I am the one who moves your legs and your mouth as you run up to the kid.

"Hey! You dropped this!"

I am your savior

I am there when you see a child sitting by himself, crying

When you're ten minutes late for an audition

When your pride tells you to head to the theatre

I am the one who pulls you towards the child

"Hey, sweetie, are you okay?"

And I make sure you sit with him until his mom is at his side

And a smile is on his face.

I am your savior

I am there when you smell the sweet scent of ham

When your stomach growls

When your mouth waters

I remind you that He would be disappointed

(Not mad, mind you: disappointed)

I make sure your teeth are clenched

Your promise is kept.

I am your savior

I am there you see someone you lied to

When you see someone you hurt

I make you bow your head

I make you announce, "I'm sorry."

I am your savior

I am there when you know you've been arrogant

Prideful. Presumptuous.

I bring you to your knees

I make you raise your eyes to Him

"I'm sorry."

I am your savior

I am your heart

I am your soul

I am you

Allow me to explain in brief: I am a religious person, a religious Jew. I've been asked many times what I'm supposed to do to 'atone for my sins' because I don't have Jesus.

Correct: I neither have nor want Jesus to be my savior.

Incorrect: I need a savior.

Personal responsibility is crucial to Judaism: you are your own Satan and your own Savior. You have an urge for good and an urge for evil, and it's up to you to pick good.

It always irks me when really religious Christians insist that I'm somehow inherently sinful and need a savior or else.

If you believe in original sin or that sort of concept, that's fine, I'm not going to tell you what to believe-I'm just going to state what I believe. And the concept of original sin is nowhere in the Tanakh (Jewish Bible). I was not born seeped in darkness, and through my own efforts (with, of course, a fair bit of help from God!) I will be able to return with a smile and a sparkling soul.

And that's my two cents. Hope you enjoyed my poem!

Baruch Hashem!

Joshua