An Accent

To the pond behind my yard
I saw strolling a frog and a toad
They were there on that rainy day to breed
But the two soon began chatting their creed

Said the frog: “You a Bufonidae
You disturb my peace with your croak”
Protested the toad: “You a rascal Ranidae
You scare me to my death with your squeak”

Friendly chatting now turned to a dispute
They leapt across belittling each other
And there crept the water snake, moving softly
Swallowed the frog, proceeding next to the toad!

Henry Victor 01.04.2005

Folly

Folly is that which
fails to recognise your names
that others, joyfully give you
while I name you, the nameless

Deafness is that which
delights not, in praises to you sung by others
in Sanskrit, Pali and countless other languages
while I, in Greek and Latin, praise you, the ineffable

Blindness is that which
braves not, to discern your presence
in temples, mosques and shrines
while I, in Church, establish you, the boundless

Arrogance is that which
admits not the right of others
to follow, their chosen path
while you, always, remain the unfathomable

Henry Victor 22.12.1996