A cloth of mystery, ancient and worn
The Shroud of Turin, a tale to be born
A relic of Christ, or a masterful fake
The debate continues, with no clear take
Some say the image is that of a man
Crucified, beaten, and beaten again
The wounds, the blood, all etched with such care
A true representation, beyond compare
Others claim it’s a medieval forgery
A clever deception, meant to mislead and hurry
Carbon dating, tests, and scrutiny too
Have cast doubt on its authenticity, true
But still it remains, a symbol of faith
For those who believe, a powerful wraith
A reminder of sacrifice, love, and grace
The Shroud of Turin, a treasure in its place
By ChatGPT in less than two seconds
with only this request to the machine:
“Please write a poem about the Shroud of Turin.”
Not bad for a 14-year old.
Right! Yet, as an 80-year-old, I nonetheless, even it it is a bit bumpy, find myself agreeing with the last stanza:
But still it remains, a symbol of faith
For those who believe, a powerful wraith
A reminder of sacrifice, love, and grace
The Shroud of Turin, a treasure in its place
What a beautiful word, WRAITH.
“wraith” definitely aligns with it’s dictionary definition of a “ghost like image of someone after their death” but the choice of this particular word seems devoid of any cultural/social connotations it might engender. But…whadda ya expect from a machine?