Lost

Words by Clement Tan 2006
All Rights Reserved

I

Not okay, but what to do?
Finally back but as if never here.
Smitten in more ways than one -
as if only the shell remains,
but not the soul.

Priorities show up in the scheme of things,
and perhaps it really does not matter.
Maybe things were just never ever,
maybe Thee was just being obliging.
But whatever ever,
whatever will be, will be.

Maybe the social Darwinists
weren't abusing Darwin's natural selection theories;
Maybe they were right to say that the fittest survive.

I could never quite fathom
the extent of his reluctance and hesistance.
Methought it's thou paranoia in its full glory.
Methought now me not wrong.

But it was good while it lasted
in the metaphysical realm.
Maybe this friendship
was never really fit in the first place.
Therefore, wherein,
Lost.


II

Then came another.
Slipping slowly but surely,
but accelerated because thou
decided to let go and let God.

Maybe that's how the Father feels
when He extends His arms in a warm embrace
and we, little imps, duck under those extensive protective arms
to other things and other places,
with nary a cursory acknowledgement
of His divine presence.

Thou had to let go and quit protecting
thee from the wrath of thy own wretchedness.
Because like imps, you duck and push thou aside
when thee will the going and think nothing of it.

Yet the effects are thought-churning, mind numbing
and simply quite alarming.
But twas reminded of the Choice
and of the freedom
He died for.

The post-modernist deconstructing
of the act of Cohabitation
in its various guises
surely cannot and never will stand
the illuminating Truth -
whether Thee wants to think about it.

Everybody can choose to deny
like an ostrich hiding its head underground
when danger looms -
escapism, as imps call it.

But nobody can deny that
it is not up to sheer imps to deny the Cross.
We do not choose our Father
as our Father first chose us.

Been quite a while
but thou knowledge of Thee
was made a mockery in those minutes.
Has thou erred
by trying to take the place of the Father?
Therefore, therein,
Lost.


III

And then a while back,
Long gone yet always here.
Blameless in more ways than one -
as if his presence so crucial
that our team collapsed when he left.

Priorities show up in the scheme of things,
and perhaps it really does matter.
Maybe things were never meant to be,
maybe good things come in small packages.
But whatever ever,
whatever will be, has been.

Maybe the social Darwinists
weren't abusing Darwin's natural selection theories;
Maybe they were right to say that the fittest survive.

I could never quite fathom
why he continued even though he finished and was unwell.
Methought it's thee goodness in its full glory.
Methought now me never will know.
But it was good while it lasted
in the realistic realm.

Maybe this friendship
was never really fit in the first place.
Therefore, wherein,
Lost.