he says "God lives in our hearts" and "we die and return" his plait sprouts from his crown, short and feeble but his smile is a fireplace of living coals and she wonders whether it’s the sun or his smile that warms her face. foot to foot, she crosses her arms and squints she says "are we like trees?" feeling like she’s on a bridge "we die and merge into the Earth and then to grow again" her metaphor crosses his face, swift as a stream but does not stop her father seems to be saying to her "what you do to one side, you must do to the other" he is saying "this is karma" the book in his hand shows a cow with a man’s face about to be slaughtered by a man with a cow’s face the axe is large and medieval, decorated with blood "there are so many variables" she thinks she’s watching his finger move around the picture vague and yet certain. she wants to go now. she says "I don’t believe in God". he leaps to predict "but you feel something bigger, yes? something divine?" she says "I believe in the Earth" he nods eagerly as though she has made sense at last but she’s thinking about dinner. he goes on talking while in her mind x and y broil with the broccoli and God is the cloud that vanishes from the open oven. she thanks him for the recipe book and they part, each with their minds firmer than before what you do to one side, you must do to the other
God & Algebra
Published
Out of the Cave 
there are so many good lines here, including ‘his smile is a fireplace of living coals’ but there is one I want to understand: ‘God is the cloud that vanishes from the open oven’; the images in the third stanza are searing; this is such a different take — more elaborate, teased out — than my ‘Ruffians’; but in the end they still have their minds made up, ‘firmer than before’
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Yes. I am trying to learn the art of listening wholly without arguing in my head. But I am crap at it so far.
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🙂 don’t be so hard on yourself, Worms; we are human beans after all; maybe the arguing in yr head is worth recording
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Lol. Incoherent protest, most likely. But practise makes progress. One way or the other.
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Sounds like Arjuna sitting in his chariot between two armies, trying to make sense of what Krishna’s trying to tell him. (Sorry; I’m currently re-reading the Bhagavad Gita).
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Are you? I have been given a copy. Is it good reading?
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Third stanza is very disturbing; as well it should be. There’s an element of internal conversation that’s quite endearing.
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Yes. It was a disturbing image! But so interesting as a concept.
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I absolutely love this. The last stanza and last line are incredible.
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thanks so much, Bob!
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Love this, especially the ending!
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Thank you!
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