Jack Pelham

I suppose I have learned
The beginning of wisdom—
If I am not overestimating myself—
But it is now quite apparent to me
That I will not see the end of it
In this life.

So far in this crazy world—
In all that has happened
Since the beginning—
Not one bit of it
Has been impossible.

There she sits, ready to pounce
On the least little suggestion
That God actually expects the Christian
To do anything.

We could be friends
If I were certain you
Would not hurt me—

Or if I were brave enough
To risk it, not being sure.

He beholds the horse
And marvels at the being that it is—
Its noble bearing—
Its undeniable presence.

It is nothing for you
To enter by the exit
Or to drive the wrong way
Or to park across two spaces.

He does well
Who learns to care
About the past
And the future—

Who broadens the scope
Of his awareness
Beyond his own
Immediate concerns—

This is just your first body.
And if things go well,
You’ll be given a second.

How difficult for the creature
To want to submit himself
To the will of his Creator—

And harder still—
Having decided to want it—
To manage to live that way!

Wouldn’t it be ironic
If we were waiting on God to act
And he were waiting on us?