THE BEAST

When a cloud resembles a ship,

    a dragon, a wisp

    on zephyr light,

it yet retains itself:

                floating water,

                compact tight.

Puny minds compare

                to what we know,

                to things we’ve seen

We are not wrong to do such things.

    We are not wrong

    to dream.

Our neurons fire, spires form

                and castles

                drift and shift,

crinkling grey matter,

                ‘neath our skulls, while

                we’re amiss.

But puny minds compare, and

                cannot reckon

                with what is –

THE BEAST, which runs the world, THE BEAST

                without which

    none can live.

His brain – all clouds of rain and mist,

                snugly fit, the

                planet ‘round.

Lightning peels – his neurons –

                full, ferociously

    abound.

Thunder, further deafening;

                our engulfed

                egos drown.

We are not wrong to lose ourselves;

    mere putty

    to the sound.

He gathers from the oceans deep -

                he brings them

                to the hills.

In bogs and marshes, fogs and haze;

                and us –

                proud of our mill!

As if such imitation might

                us beastly

    power bring,

but no two eyes will ever see

                our omnipresent

    beast.

He hovers, wise, omnipotent;

                he does not

    have a need…

…but balance. Fawn and fauna, his soul

    in every

    living thing.

When flood or drought pours or starves –

                balance

    is restored.

But people die, and plea the gods,

                "How? Why can

    this be, Lord?"

Throughout recorded history,

                there scarce has

                been reply

of why disasters natural

                bring death

                into our lives.

Perhaps THE BEAST knows better, yes

                and silence

                his reply.

We are not wrong to think such things.

                we are not wrong

                to die.