Our New God

author’s note:

The plywood pictured above wanted to be an artist…

But lacking canvas and brushes, what could it do?  It did what all wise boards do: it used the weather of years to transform itself into a work of art.


OUR NEW GOD

Though we maintain many gods
that serve us in all sorts of ways
I think we need one more

to occasionally help us regain our wits.

The new god we’ll create
won’t guide us on questions
of morality
or the purpose of life.
No

this god will simply say:
you can feel me and know me
by becoming quiet
and listening down within.

Then maybe, feeling curious
we’ll stop and listen
and perhaps for the first time
experience
the mystery of silence.

And when we return
to the world outside
in our new clarity, we’ll begin to sense
the secret silence--
the invisible shadow
within everything
--even the air--

and realize:
the spirit of this god
lives everywhere.

I’m sure some will challenge
the reality of our invented god.
To them, I say:
any mystery so deeply felt
must be real

and to feel what’s really real
is a good way to keep one’s wits
in these witless times.
Time to be with this god.

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© 2021, Michael R. Patton