Priest, Question

Belur, 1970

why doubt

and grudge me

the small price

I sell him at

in concocted parts

I am your connection

to god

and I represent you

to him

in return to pander his invidious

wrath and retribution

I distribute religion

and superstition

how does it matter

if both are the same

so long as they give you

fear from which to escape with hope

enshrined in a policy

redeemable conveniently 

after death

on a certain commission

ensuring my employment

why reason

against this mythology

and seek ostracism?

have faith in

the terror of disbelief

and believe

in surrender

to the detriment

of nothing

but the truth --

admit:

do not you and I

need god

more?

-----------------------------

Bhashwati wrote:

I suppose you must have chosen that dark spot for the priest in the midst of glaring sunlight all around and asked him to keep his left foot perched as if on a precipice into which he would have fallen if the pillar had not been holding on to him, to enable him to expound on the terrors of disbelief.