Reading from A Word from the Outer Dark, pages 68-70

In twelve four-line verses Howard renders a sketch dialogue in poetics between two men viewing the conduct of Jesus Christ as he hauls his cross to the appointed place. The men discuss the possibility of achieving his relief, his guilt or innocence and his relevance. This treatment seems to be based on Ben-Hur, a story Howard was familiar with, having promoted a biblical scholar’s discussion of the novel in what—if I recall correctly from the peek I had of his letters—might have been his 18th year.

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