A Last Letter, Delivered -Poem

 

A Last Letter, Delivered

(Copyright 2020, by Dave Kiffer)



You once said that God
Gave people no more
Than they could handle
But that isn't true,

Some he will break
With more and more
Weight, tribulation
And unfairness

As he did with you
Even though you faced
Each challenge stoically
Strong in your belief

That there is a reward.
And now you know
Whether that is
The case.

But we're left to
Ponder why he thought
You needed to handle
So much more than us.

Is your God so jealous
That he needs
Such tribute,
Such reassurance?

The ability to absorb
More pain isn't a virtue,
Nor should it be necessary
For utmost grace.

We used to ponder
Just what would happen to those
Who are not just, not good,
And skate without consequence.

Where is that vengeance,
That retribution,  must we
Assume it will come later
In some unclear state?

Why doesn't God pour more
On them than they could
Possibly handle? Because
That's not the way it works.

Meanwhile he takes away
What we could most use
The kind words, the brightness,
The balm of the absolute smile.

In a perfect world
The good live forever,
And not just in paradise,
But where they are needed.


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