Poems by Themis

On the Cross

There's no respite; the riddles loom

Around my thought, and fold on fold

Thick sins pleat up, till cold, unsouled,

I lie within a tomb.

This loneliness that eats men's flesh

Has wormed the very life of me;

Will you not yet unweave the mesh,

Clean me and let me see?

The myriad purities and powers

Hang limp, shrink and betray their trust;

Sweet innocencies fall like flowers,

Unfold their rot and turn to dust.

A night of blind and void desire,

Of unforgiven wills and ways,

And mockeries of thief and liar,

Wraps up my coward heart's delays.

The snake-proud puzzlings twitch and moan,

The old temptations scream their plea,

And in the dark I'm all alone:

Lord, why have you forsaken me?

Page 51