I do not curse the name of God
Or make it by my usage slight,
But neither will I fail to seize
some necessary blasphemies
To see if, in another light,
they explain the odd shadow.
I will not violate sacred space,
Or any holy place disturb —
Desecrate no altar,
sacred or profane.
But one that is not holy,
is considered structure only,
I cannot enter, cannot love,
And will not stain.
Conscience I cannot criticize,
Harmless culture not despise,
But foist a thought I cannot own
And, true or false, I stand as stone
And feel no need to fend or fight
Or champion but myself as right
— myself alone and not my thought.
I only fear the loss of fear,
of hopelessness I hold so dear,
of doubt that shelters far-flung faith,
of sadness that is mine by grace,
of mystery that swallows truth,
of wildness and of shameless youth