MICKEY ON OMAR: IN RESPONSE TO The Rubáyáit

                    I pondered long to know what I may be;

I pierced Your veil; I even found the Key.

Now this I know: though You may e’er endure,

Soon surely there will be No More of Me!

If living here on Earth brings naught but pain;

If striving nets you aught, and never gain;

Be glad to quit this race so poorly run -

Why ever wish to Live your Life again?

Some sail, through life, a Ship of bitter pain; Some

Find peace in God; or Wine; or Woman’s love may come

To set them free from Earthly grief.

I choose first, Love;; last, God; else, Rum.

For God, if such there be, did surely sin

In making such as Me that can NOT win

A Race in which the Obstacles are set

To block the very Goals He chose to pen.^1,

If I drink wine it is that It does well

To free me of my mindless fear of Hell;

All Hope of Hea'en drives from my Heart,

And leaves my mind a bless’dly empty Shell.

The Persian poet adjures “Heed not the Morrow;

Or Yesterday, departed hence in Sorrow.”

While Past is not redeemed by sad regret,

Unplanned ‘Morrows leave sad Yesterdays to borrow.

We may have a Year, or two – or ten

To share our new-found love, and then

We, too, must part, if living or if dead;

But all too soon comes unto us the end….

(Note that after exactly ten years, Ruth dismissed me ....)

MickeyBasden

Alice, Texas

July 2003

1^ ...O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Romans 9:20-21