Poem: “Following Job into Chapter Nine”
Following Job into Chapter Nine
Who can be justified before God?
You ask a thousand times but do not
expect an answer.
Before you know it, mountains move.
The earth shakes out of shape.
Foundations shudder like dread-soaked
pillows tossing on your bed.
The sun does not come up. Stars fail
to light far corners. The very heavens stretch
in ways you cannot begin to understand.
If God comes near, you will not see.
If God passes by, you will not sense.
If God seizes you by force, will you say,
“Stop!” or recognize the reasons?
Tell me, how
can you give God a good answer?
How will you state your case?
Even if you were right, you wouldn’t do it.
Even if you were right, you’d rather beg.
Even if you wanted a response, how
could you ever believe
God
had actually
answered?
Mary Harwell Sayler
