Believe
I know a boy
who doesn’t believe in G-d,
although he wants to.
He longs for faith,
like rushing rivers
ever searching for the sea,
like buried flower bulbs
waiting for their chance to bloom.
He knows G-d exists
because the rivers always
empty into the sea,
because the flowers bloom
every year more beautiful,
more precious.
He wants to believe
because immortality is a nice idea,
he wants to find heaven,
faith is sometimes easier.
But he can’t believe
because he can’t see G-d,
he doesn’t want to die,
faith is a difficult
and sometimes horrible
commitment.
I don’t know if he’ll ever believe,
but maybe it’s better
not to believe,
because then G-d doesn’t let us down,
as the Earth continues to die,
and people continue to fight,
and our prayers
remain unanswered.
(c)1999 Ann Lesley Hamvas
