166
THE STAR
IN THE WEST
Here's why
Creation
jumps at prayer .
You Christians quote me in a breath
This , that , the other atheist's
death ;
How they sought
God ! Of course ! Impair
By just a touch of fever , chill,
My health
- where
flies my vivid will ?
My carcass
with
quinine
is crammed ;
I wish South India were damned ;
I wish I had my mother's
nursing ,
Find precious
little use in cursing ,
And slide to leaning
on another ,
God , or the doctor , or my mother .
But , dare you quote my fevered word
For better
than my health averred ?
The brainish
fancies of a man
Hovering on delirium's
brink :
Shall
these be classed
his utmost
span ?
All that he can or ought
to think ?
No ! the strong
man and self -reliant
Is the true spiritual
giant .
I blame no weaklings , but decline
To take their
maunderings
for mine .?
We will now end the poet's
utter
contempt
for this
worn-out old creed with the following :
Vex
My soul no more with mistranslations
From Genesis
to Revelations
,
But leave me with the Flaming Star
Jeheshua (see thou Zohar !)
And thus our formidable
Pigeon
Lamb -and -old -Gentleman
religion
Fizzles in smoke , and I am found
Attacking nothing
2
1 Sword of Song, Ascension
Day, vol . ii , pp . 160, 161.
? Ibid . vol . ii, p. 162.