*

Frances Pray graduated in 1921
Nothing more is known of her
In fact, even this is not known of her
But was invented just now because
Her name appears in the text and
The editor likes footnotes. Really,
What sort of person likes footnotes?
The sort who pays research assistants
Scandalously little.

IN FOR REPAIRS

Joe, said God, as a fellow watchmaker
Why do you think this world of mine
Has never run quite right? I have,
Said Joe, a few ideas about that;
Make it 1925 and leave the world
In my father's shop; we'll take a look.

EX MACHINA

 

The god scheduled to descend from the heavens

Is ill. They pluck you from the audience and

Spend an hour or so deifying you.

Throwing a gaudy cloak across your shoulders

They wish you luck and  thrust you in the machine. 

It's only when you emerge on stage that you realize

You don't know the play. No matter. You cancel all debts 

Reveal that everyone is a long lost someone or other 

And marry to each other whoever looks unmarried.

Some of them look startled or upset but no matter;

We gods are known to be tricksy, untrusty folk.

ANIMA

I warned you or at least
I meant to and now
The bland little soul you tucked
Into a matchbox has been
Carried off by someone
Who just wanted a match
But now has your soul
In his pocket screaming
In its tiny voice in a language
He doesn't understand.

GAMES

 

According to my father there were

No real rules to the game but suddenly

All the young children would break

Into a run, yelling "Up the Hill

With Buffalo Bill!" One day you found

You were too old for this and went off

To learn Nine O'Cat or Stickball or

A sort of baseball with anywhere up to

Seven outfielders and three shortstops.

APPEARANCES

My father had sometimes occasion
To draw angels -- usually in small groups
Of two or three but sometimes crowds of them.
Usually, they were stick figures with wings
And puzzled expressions. I see them at times
Looking just as he pictured them. I suspect
They didn't always look like this but assumed
My father knew what angels should look like
And adapted themselves accordingly

MAKING THEMSELVES USEFUL

 

One of the Japanese gods of thunder

Is a baby. When he gets in a temper other gods

Take turns carrying him up and down ladders