THE MATERIALISTS

THE MATERIALISTS

O God of Wrath and Love

They have taken away your meaning now!

They have denied me ugliness

so I will never know beauty.

They have denied me sorrow

so I will never know joy.

They would deny me sin too

So I can never be clean and free.

They have said -

'Beware of the humiliation of ecstasy.'

Tolerance will save you from faith

and the eunuch comfort

will keep you from true desire.

Progress will lame you

and fulfilment blind you.

Religion on jet-engined wings

Will fly out of the eyes of your friends crying -

'Have!' 'Get!' 'Hold!'

and save you from life.

Copyright Ruth Hartley 1962 – 64?

Written at Cape Town University.