ALPHABET POEM RESET

Looking through my Word files I came across a poem I wrote some years ago and thought it would be nice to share it. It’s an alphabet poem, based on those kids’ poems of a word for each letter so they can learn their ABC’s.

My poem forms a kind of credo about some of my basic approaches to life and spirituality (hint–rebellion, desire, and mystery trump obedience, self-denial, and fear).

It was inspired by a more complex alphabetical work by the amazing Megan Guidry.

ASTONISHMENT BOLSTERS CONSCIOUSNESS
Rachel Pollack
for Meghan Guidry

A is for Abel, dead animal boy.
Vegetable Cain cracked his head like a toy.

B is for Bread, insufficient alone.
To live we need whispers, the endless unknown.

C is for Cathars, were they really that great?
Do we love them primarily for who chose them to hate?

D is for David, he sings and he kills,
Praising bright God with each life that he spills.

E is Ecstatic, a challenge to stand
Outside of ourselves, uninhabited land.

F is Forbidden, a very long list.
The more we desire, the more they insist.

G is for Guilt, a most useful tool,
For control more efficient than warm golden rules.

H is Hosanna, a shout to the sky.
Can you follow the voices, and learn how to fly?

I is for Instinct, refused and denied.
All rules and commands are excuses to hide.

J is for Judas, and Jesus, together,
A hard-working team, as jealous as brothers.

K is for Knowledge, a vast leafy tree,
With snakes and bright fruit to delight you and me.

L is for loss, it’s all that we know,
Lose love, and lose health, and hope, last to go.

M is for Mother, Virgin or Great,
She guides us and comforts our miserable state.

N is for Nothing, the ultimate goal.
Pour all our Somethings down a dark hole.

O is for Oh! a cry of delight,
Discovering joy in morning or night.

P is for Presence, indwelling and bright.
The lift of white wings to shelter our fright.

Q is Quiescent, a rare happy state,
The genuine thing so hard to create.

R is for Righteous, the model of good,
Replacing desire with long lists of should.

S is for Satiate, all yearning fulfilled.
Our actual state? Opportunities spilled.

T is for Teachers, whatever their cause.
Listen for love, be wary of laws.

U is unknown, hidden from sight.
Seek it forever, in darkness and light.

V is for Valley, and shadows, and death,
Where we call out “You there?” with each hesitant breath.

W—Wicks, white flames at their tips.
If only our words could burn from our lips.

X is Unknown, the true state of our Earth,
Every step a surprise, from the shock of our birth.

Y yearns for Yes, the end of all doubt,
To banish all No, in victorious rout.

Z is for Zeitgeist, the sum of us all.
Despite our best efforts, we rise and we fall.