A Man of Faith

[altariel]

The poetry meme: if you read this, post a poem in your LJ. This is from Cromwell by Brendan Kennelly, a book-length poem whose "little hero, M.P.G.M. Buffún, Esq., [is] helplessly entangled with Oliver Cromwell as the latter appears and disappears in history, biography, speeches, letters, legend, folklore, fantasy, etc."



A Man of Faith

"Buff," said Oliver, "Some poor sad prattling priest
May have spoken to you of faith,
Thinking your soul might work towards its best
And understand God's reasons for death.
You poor sad prattling priest was right, or partly so.
This gutless age sinsickens in disbelief,
Only a man of faith will do, will rise and do
What he must do, be it smooth or rough.
A man of faith is a ready blade
Cutting through the bluster of himself, his time,
Friends, enemies. He lives for what is true
In himself. I am such a man, not more, not less.
Some say my faith is lies, my best deeds crimes.
I believe in God Who believes in what I do."

Comments

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Wonderful last line. So apposite these days, and so worrying.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That last line is what made me post it.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Though possibly a little hard on Oliver, who beseeched us in the bowels of Christ to think it possible we were mistaken. Or do you think the accent is on we?