God, a Poem by James Fenton
I’ve noticed there have been quite a few new user registrations lately. Welcome! I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately (which I tell myself is allowed since I’ve posted 1338 poems since I started over at livejournal), but those who have shared poems and left comments have been an inspiration. I spent some time yesterday updating the archives (alphabetical by title and alphabetical by author), which were long in arrears. Hopefully this will help inspire me to stay more on the ball! This one is from the Norton Anthology of Contemporary Poetry.
God, a Poem
By James Fenton
A nasty surprise in a sandwich,
A drawing-pin caught in your sock,
The limpest of shakes from a hand which
You’d thought would be firm as a rock,
A serious mistake in a nightie,
A grave disappointment all round
Is all that you’ll get from th’Almighty,
Is all that you’ll get underground.
Oh he said: ‘If you lay off the crumpet
I’ll see you alright in the end.
Just hang on until the last trumpet.
Have faith in me, chum—I’m your friend.’
But if you remind him, he’ll tell you:
‘I’m sorry, I must have been pissed—
Though your name rings a sort of a bell. You
Should have guessed that I do not exist.
‘I didn’t exist at Creation,
I didn’t exist at the Flood,
And I won’t be around for Salvation
To sort out the sheep from the cud—
‘Or whatever the phrase is. The fact is
In soteriological terms
I’m a crude existential malpractice
And you are a diet of worms.
‘You’re a nasty surprise in a sandwich.
You’re a drawing-pin caught in my sock.
You’re the limpest of shakes from a hand which
I’d have thought would be firm as a rock,
‘You’re a serious mistake in a nightie,
You’re a grave disappointment all round-
That’s all you are, ‘ says th’Almighty,
‘And that’s all that you’ll be underground.’
