Yes, I used to put God
in a box, but it turned
out to be a Jack-
in-the-box, and God
kept jumping out
and scaring me
at the most inconvenient
times. One day he
jumped all the way
out, leaving me
with this empty tin
cube, red paint peeling.
I finally threw it
away. God remains
at large.
in a box, but it turned
out to be a Jack-
in-the-box, and God
kept jumping out
and scaring me
at the most inconvenient
times. One day he
jumped all the way
out, leaving me
with this empty tin
cube, red paint peeling.
I finally threw it
away. God remains
at large.
Coming from you, this poem is rightly labeled humor. A God at large reminds me of a quote by Tom Long: “The inability to make some kind of sense of the actions and will of God in a world of suffering and evil puts pressure on people of faith—sometimes subtle, sometimes not-so-subtle—to abandon the biblical claim that God is a God of history, of time, of material embodiment and actual circumstances, in favor of a mystical God of nature and spirituality." These words ring true in my work. I know, I know, once again I got serious too quickly. Just taught the trauma course this weekend again and heard a horrific story. Trauma shatters our assumptions and losing God is no small matter. Love you for understanding me. Keep including humor.
ReplyDeleteThe fact of its humor doesn't mean the poem isn't serious in its nature. It is. Very.
ReplyDeleteVery.
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