John Ballard

In the lust of my strength         I cursed God, but he paid no attention to me:         I might as well have cursed the stars.         In my last sickness I was in agony, but I was resolute         And I cursed God for my suffering;         Still He paid no attention to me;         He left me alone, as He had always done.         I might as well have cursed the Presbyterian steeple.         Then, as I grew weaker, a terror came over me:         Perhaps I had alienated God by cursing him.         One day Lydia Humphrey brought me a bouquet         And it occurred to me to try to make friends with God,         So I tried to make friends with Him;         But I might as well have tried to make friends with the bouquet.         Now I was very close to the secret,         For I really could make friends with the bouquet         By holding close to me the love in me for the bouquet         And so I was creeping upon the secret, but -