gospel
from Old English, gōd spell "good news"
a writing that describes the life of Jesus


Sunday, April 18, 2010

joseph | w.h. auden | for the time being


CHORUS. Joseph, you have heard
What Mary says occurred;
Yes, it may be so.
Is it likely? No.
Mary may be pure,
But, Joseph, are you sure?
How is one to tell?
Suppose, for instance... Well...

JOSEPH. Where are you, Father, where?
Caught in the jealous trap
Of an empty house I hear
As I sit alone in the dark
Everything, everything,
The drip of the bathroom tap,
The creak of the sofa spring,
The wind in the air-shaft, all
Making the same remark
Srupidly, stupidly,
Over and over again.
Father, what have I done?
Answer me, Father, how
Can I answer the tactless wall
Or the pompous furniture now?
Answer them....

GABRIEL. No, you must.

JOSEPH. How then am I to know,
Father, that you are just?
Give me one reason.

GABRIEL. No.

JOSEPH. All I ask is one
Important and elegant proof
That what my Love had done
Was really at your will
And that your will is Love.

GABRIEL. No, you must believe;
Be silent, and sit still.

No comments:

Post a Comment