it is not God i should accuse
but us
we were not there
when You laid the foundation
when You set the cornerstone
we are flawed
with our cracked clay feet
unfit for keeping.
fallen.
i read Job to understand awe
we had no voices, yet
or throats
when the stars sang
and the angels cried out
to learn God answers
questions
with more questions
worship is how we kneel
& admit it was not us
that laid the foundations
that it is angels that shout
not us. our brass tongues clang discord
instead of sounding joy
we have never ordered the morning
or shown the sunrise its place
that smith of mountains
& mammoths
has more patience for us
than we for Him
how we lose that path
over & over
in that hunt for things
we think we need
we have not traveled
to the springs of the sea
how we tear each other
to feed a need more heated
than blood, hungrier than lions
we have not entered
the storehouses of the snow
we are not gods
but we coin them, newly minted
from gold flecks
sifted from lead & hoarded
to pour into familiar molds
gods that cannot ask us
where we were
because they are made
& ask only
for what we can give easily
we do not know the paths to lightning
i read Job to remember
we can be more
but stretch out our hands instead
to grasp this less
***at Dverse, we are exploring allusion. Yesterday, after several hours of confronting how evil man can be to man, I decided the only allusions I wanted to make were to the book of Job. All my italicized here are responses to questions in that book, chapters 38-39.
Related Poetry/prose:
George Ellington
Consider the tea cosy
Eboni Sade
Noel
Susan Daniels Poetry 
“worship is how we kneel
& admit it was not us
that laid the foundations ”
So very true. Job is definitely a worthy teacher indeed.
Thank you, Mary. It set my head straight last night 😉
I guess there is never an end to learning what we can be, thank goodness.
I am so thankful for that!
Very powerful Susan and well written. Though, personally I think what God did to Job was lousy thing to do to prove a point to the devil. In the back of my mind there floats a supposition that whispers to me that god wishes he had made us all dogs.>KB
Thanks, KB, and I agree–it was a LOUSY thing to do. If they have to have contests, why not create a chessboard and settle things that way? Oh, wait… We are the chessboard, and the rules of their game stink.
the book of job is a great place to turn…i find myself there often to re-learn the things that i need…worship is our kneeling and admitting is was not us….we dont have the power, but in coming low we often find strength…
Agree, Brian.
what a powerful piece, susan. wow.
Thank you, Miriam.
So much better, this. Thank you, Susan. For reminding me.
Thank you, George, for writing that powerful piece yesterday. I needed to read it.
“God answers
questions
with more questions”
Apparently God wants us to think, puzzle things out for ourselves, and not blindly obey. More growth in that.
Here are a couple blog posts I’ve written on the topic:
God-Wrestling Nuns
Apple® and Eve’s Choice
Georgia–I have read & loved “God Wrestling Nuns.” Going to check out the other one right now!
i read job to remember
we can be more
but stretch out our hands instead
to grasp this less
Well said. Job is a timeless book, one of my favorites. You really captured the questioning spirit of Job here.
Nico, thank you!
I just wonder if you meant to leave an ambiguity between job and Job. At first I read job as a task to be accomplished. Only with your comment did I finally get the book of Job. Made all the difference in understanding.
😉 okay, I’ll capitalize his name… but just for you!
Don’t do it for me, only if you think the poem requires it!
…I actually think it works better with the cap J 😉
>>admit it was not us
that laid the foundations<<
Particularly loved the above…
Nelle, thank you!
Your poetry astounds me – you should be famous!
Oh, Julie…I am turning all shades of red now, thank you!
Put a book together and pitch it to a publisher (if you haven’t already?)
So far I have entered a chapbook in a contest, but that is now freed up, so I am free to pitch it elsewhere 😉
your writing is prolific, Susan. your images are beautiful and daunting. I have not read Job, but absolutely adore your last two lines in this piece.
Jane, thank you so much.
I’m not sure about the relevance of Job, but leaving that aside, this is a splendid response to the challenge. It works beautifully. Well done.
David, thank you!
“we are not gods
but we coin them, newly minted”
Indeed, we mint them. We make them to serve our desire — with war being high on the list.
Will we ever stop minting and learn to talk to each other instead of just to our gods?
Nicely done !
Job is an interesting text — a Koan for many a Jew and Christian.
Sabio, thank you for taking the time to leave such wonderful comments…you always do, and they (and you) are appreciated.
we are not gods
but we coin them, newly minted
from gold flecks
sifted from lead & hoarded
to pour into familiar molds – I found that completely mesmerising…. thanks
Oh, goodness, thank you!
Wonderful recreation of the message of Job…a good reminded for us in troubled times such as these. My favorite stanza…”that smith of mountains…” Loved it, Susan.
Oh, Victoria, thank you! I loved your prompt idea and this just seemed so right to me…
oh susan…thanks for this…i LOVE job…it’s one of my fav books in the bible and i often read it as well to remember.. so cool
Claudia–thank you. I love this book too, and keep coming back to it.
This is splendid, Susan. You are really an amazing poetress, the best I have come across so far in my blogging history. And I mean that. You do it so effortlessly and I am always astounded when I come over to your blog. Now this, well.
i read Job to remember
we can be more
but stretch out our hands instead
to grasp this less
A very poignantt message on patience. Glad you read Job. 🙂
Celestine, oh my goodness, I am humbled by your words. Thank you. Glad I read Job too 😉