Stephen is a web developer, Bahá'í, and interfaith activist in St. Paul, Minnesota. He likes to write about religion, social justice, sustainability, science, programming, &c.

• Blog
• Tech
• Articles
• Web Design
• More
• Elsewhere

poetry, prose, and other strings of words · 1993 - 2003

untitled #1

Number 88

April 25, 1995

Sometimes I wish to sit solitary
As the sun streams down my back,
Burning away my fears,
Burning away my tears.

Constantly I am denied
By social equity and grace implied,
But what if I were to say
I just don't give a damn?
But I know the truth —
I give a damn about society and
All her fetid misworth,
Stinking fecundity burning my nostrils through.

Pain and grief cannot be borne
In a class where does such
Equal scorn,
And contempt and ridicule
Because they cannot see what I see,
Cannot see that I care,
Despite that I wish to burn it
For evil, horrible cruelty.

Profundity obscured,
Mournful grace shall not tread
Where I have tread,
Where millions of others have tread
With the feet of the dead.

Lying cold in their graves,
They forget the inequities
Borne upon them by the
Hapless crowd.

Dead, they lie waiting
To see just who is
Controlling anyways...

I believe in God,
I believe in the Almighty
Allah, who's glory outshines all
And whose mercy blesses me and my kin.

Who do you believe in that
You shove in my face,
You who are worthy to judge not?

But I judge myself,
I judge you,
And so doing call myself hypocrite.

I do not fear God.

God loves me.

God has sent Ones to help me,
To look after me,
To find me.

They have found me;
I do not fear God.

I fear myself.

I fear society.