Eating Out and Saying Grace

There we all were, around the table while
my oldest son offered up his prayer
once more to the God he creates,
as I have done those years ago,
when all of us could squeeze that venerable
omniscient glory into one (rather noisy)
tiny space.

 

We, loving one another, held hands of course,
never murmering dissent--I asked myself,
"Why not?" there was a god somewhere.
...
No! Not "a" god...  there was GOD! (damn it)
and no "where" that I could place.
Not a thing, no superanimal, NOTHING
I might ever think about. How dare I?

 

But sure.
I'm thankful. I do agree each one of us
should be. To whom, you say?
Even if we trust that every paramecium
will be a being--what of that?
God is a being, too?  Sorry.
Much too big for that.

 

My tablemates might wonder
just what brand of faith I claim.
Beloved, I have no religion left in me.
We may, of course acknowlege God
as we acknowlege us; we are the same.
Is there an "us?"

 

Oh.
"Amen"
The fries are so
delicious here.
      ~

 

Reviews

[Tom]

An fascinating analogy Dean, the all knowing Almighty one is indeed an enigma, but nothing wrong at all with questioning his/her, or should I respectfully say 'its' raison d'etre !

You possess a perceptive, poetic pen and use it to great effect !!

[Dean]

Thanks a lot, Tom!

[J. J. Nightingale]

Parameclum.....................?


I pray every night .. and wonder if my ceiling is made of lead, or some other impenetrable material..

I've always done what I was told .. and I still do, even though the ones who preached, are long passed on .. to some reward or more likely, some hell .....................

I hear you ........... Jazz

[Dean]

yes...even a paramecium is a thing, just as we are taught that God is another thing--infinitely more important to be sure. But my point is that God is not ANYTHING our minds can embrace. God's "isness" is already a lie. Not an it, not a "he", not anything one can conceive, and not, I am afraid, and "one" we can talk to. That does not mean that God is uncaring, just that we are inordinately squeezing the concept down to a size that we can handle. That may work for us, but it is not truth. So we invent a Jesus to help a little, but if he existed, he was a great man, not a little chunk of God. So, what is left for us, but to merely accept God as everything. One cannot be a friend to everything because that includes us. Voila! Prayer (always good) becomes an affirmation, not something in the sky to address. That's my take, J.J., for better or worse.

[Dean]

oh---addendum here. I do believe this life is only part of our existence, so we do pass on in consciousness. You can call it heaven or hell if you like. It's good. See ya there. :-)

[J. J. Nightingale]

OK.. don't rush me .. lol..............:)

[Dean]

Hey, I'm anticipating it...new slice of life!

[J. J. Nightingale]

I guess .. :) .......................>>>

[Dean]

but not a "reward" That is primitive thinking

[Dean]

be of good cheer...and thanks for thinking this through with me.

[J. J. Nightingale]

Cheer ... now THERE is another can of worms ~~~~~ lol .. :)

[Dean]

oboy...I see you are not going to let my thoughts alone...That is terrific, just what I always wanted...and I am sincere. go go go

[J. J. Nightingale]

Even at this very late stage .. I want to learn, understand and even argue.. about anything and every thing I possibly can..LOL ... It's what we do.. or should do.. anyway !! :)...........♥

[J. J. Nightingale]

Teach me .. Tell me ... and Listen too ..........:)

[Dean]

the three things you cite are the way. I'll do the listening; I need the practice. You already know about the benefits of writing poetry. We are both learning to understand each other.

[J. J. Nightingale]

I admire a man/woman who is willing to listen.. their attentive silence is so very telling.. :)

[Ken Simm.]

Hope for what we can achieve and then try to achieve it. Realising it is the journey not the destination whatever we may call it.

[Dean]

Thanks, Ken

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "God has no religion." The only true religion to him was the path within; for there, within us all, resides God.

[Dean]

what can't I say but agree?

[Marie]

We cannot squeeze God into a small space, or even title Him...though, being human, we must try to build Him in our image...

[Dean]

I have stopped even that.