More Prayers from the Ark

Prayers from the Ark

This is a wonderful book of poems by French writer Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, written during the grim years of the Second World War. Noah and a representative group of animals offer their own style of prayer, some funny, some sad, some full of hope, all brief and fresh.
The book is readily available secondhand - just Google for it. There is a new edition too which also includes "The Creatures' Choir".
I've purchased and given away 2 copies, and have a third copy for myself. Because of copyright I can only give a fragment as a sample, so here is a piece of the Ox's prayer

"Dear God, Men are always so driven. Make then understand that I can never move quickly..."

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Here are my own contributions in a similar style:-

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The Prayer of the Snail

Dear Lord,
 
 I am slow they say;
 Keep the Ark open while I come.
 Keep me from careless feet
 That crush my delicately woven shell,
 A thing of delight to all Mathematicians!
 Then shell and all will say
  ...Amen
 

The Prayer of the Little Lamb

Dear God,
 
 Thank You for the sweet milk
 And the sweet grass,
 And for my flock whose bleats calm my timid fears.
 Thank You for young legs that leap,
 And when they wander let Your Shepherd always find me.
  ...Amen
 

The Prayer of the Old Dog

Dear God,
 
 Truly my bark is now worse than my bite:
 My strength is gone -
 I can no longer round up the sheep.
 Let Your strength be my unfailing hope
 And Your Shepherd my unfailing Friend,
 While I feebly wag my tail in quiet joy.
  ...Amen
 

The Prayer of the Broken Shell

Dear God,
 
 You Who made man from the dust,
  have pity on a poor broken shell,
 washed up on the shore.
 Good for nothing, except,
  perhaps,
  if you place me to Your ear,
 You may the faint murmur of the ocean waves
  of Your own great love.
 
 Take me up, and let the waves
  carry me along,
 and drop me where it is my delight to be,
  even at Your feet forever.
  ...Amen
 

(adapted from "Morning and Evening" by CH Spurgeon, April 12) http://www.ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/morneve.d0412am.html

The Prayer of the Worm

Dear God,
 You Who made everything
  said at one time,
  when you entered the deepest of dark holes,
  "I am a worm and no man".
 Yet since the trees and rivers
  may clap their hands
  and the hills may sing for joy,
 Even a worm may wriggle joyfully
  to Your great Praise.
  ...Amen

The Narcissist's Prayer

    "How better far the world would be
  If all the people were like me!
  On second thoughts that's not so good;
  The other people really should
  Have me as centre of their sphere;
  There's only room for one in here.
  Only one can be the middle,
  And know the answer to every riddle
  Of life, art, science and history;
  And, of course, it's me, it's me!!!"
 

The first stanza was inspired by an Arch book called "2 Men in the Temple", from the first words of the self-righteous hypocrite's prayer. The corrupt Roman tax-collector would not, could not, did not say anything but "God be merciful to me, a sinner." (Luke's Gospel chapter 18).
I don't suppose many narcissists will read this. If they do I expect their reaction will be

• amusement at other narcissists - "but, of course, I'm not one";
• anger, and a nasty email to the author;
• delight - "he's described me perfectly - he must be YAA";
• rejection - "I'm not like that! It's everyone else's problem."

The narcissist's victims are more likely to read this than the narcissist is. I hope they will not be upset by the pointed humour, but rather encouraged to know they are not alone, and to recognise the narcissist for what they are.
The narcissist is a chameleon, changing to suit the occasion in whatever way boosts their already inflated self-image. They can be infuriatingly charming to strangers (who they see as potential YAAs) but ruthlessly cruel to those already under their hurtful influence

It may be well be doubted that Narcissistic Personality Disorder is really a psychiatric problem. It may well be thought that it is rather "bad old" human nature run wild. The Bible mentions it often, not by the name "Narcissism", but in terms of arrogant pride.

Psalm 17:10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

Psalm 55:21 His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Proverbs 21:24 "Scoffer" is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.

Isaiah 13:11 I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.

Quoted from the English Standard Version

YAA

Yet Another Admirer (which is the same as yet another future victim).

This World of Dew - Is It?

 My friend C. died this week, suddenly, of a heart attack. He was 52 and super-fit (gym, running and surfing as often as he could). I still have a sense of shock and disbelief, and can only guess how his family are feeling and suffering (only God can know it all).

The day I heard of it, these lines came into my mind

    "This world of dew
 
  Is only a world of dew,
 
  and yet, and yet."
 

I struggled to remember where I had heard or read them, and finally found them in John Dickson's book "If I were God I'd end all the Pain". They are from the Japanese Haiku master Kobayashi Issa, penned at the death of one of his daughters. Issa was a devout Buddhist, following Buddha's teaching that all pain and suffering arise from desire and love. Rise above these and nothing can hurt you. His teacher had told him he must consider all earthly circumstances as dew, which disappears without trace. Yet he could not help but cry out in the beautiful pathos of the verse above.

The poem of Issa's is heart-rending, and fills at times my mind, if not my eyes, with tears for those who must face sufferings with no hope. I have never tried to pen a Haiku poem, but could not let the thought go, so after several attempts, in memory of C. here is mine:-

    The pain is real
 
  Midst love, tears and ashes.
 
  Love Himself suffered.
 

I do not know if C. ever heard of Haiku poetry, or was a lover of poetry at all. He never mentioned it. He did love the Psalms and the hymns of John ("Amazing Grace") Newton, as he loved God and his family. Yet I am sure he would have embraced my stumbling effort more than Issa's masterpiece (not because of me, but because of the truth it contains).

Goodbye C., till we meet again. You are now where there is no more suffering, for you are with Jesus, who said "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live", and to a dying man "Today, you will be with me in Paradise."