What Tomas An Buile Said in a Pub

by James Stphens (1882-1950)



I saw God.  Do you doubt it?

Do you dare to doubt it?

I saw the Almighty Man.  His hand

Was resting on a mountain, and

He looked upon the World and all about it:

I saw Him plainer than you see me now,

You mustn’t doubt it.



He was not satisfied;

His look was all dissatisfied.

His beard swung on a wind far out of sight

Behind the world’s curve, and there was light

Most fearful from His forehead, and He sighed,

“That star went always wrong, and from the start

I was dissatisfied.”



He lifted up His hand-

I say he heaved a dreadful hand

Over the spinning Earth, then I said:  “Stay-

You must not strike it, God; I’m in the way;

And I will never move from where I stand.”

He said, “Dear child, I feared that you were dead,”

And stayed His hand.


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