A Small Thing:

I am a small thing

were i a planet circling through the vast heavens
i would be as an atom within an atom
were i granted life eternal
were i the minute-keeper of all the days of time
the countless sands of the desert
my hourglass heart to mark
were i the vast unfolding universe
were i a crack within the heart
of the first and brightest angel
scourged sixty ways for my likeness to God
and not God...

I would be a small thing
vanquished by a single breath of disbelief

These things i am not
for what i am
less than nothing

the echo of a long silenced song

a poem, a word uttered in the void 6'000 years ago
and then no more...

— Dalton, May 29, 2010

About This Poem

About the Author

Country/Region: The Celestial River

Favorite Poets: Shane MacGowan, Dylan Thomas, Qays ibn Al-Mulawwah, Wallada bint al-Mustakfi, Rumi, Khalil Gibran, Yona Wallach, Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Eluard, Brendan Behan, James Clarence Mangan, William Blake, Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski, Forough Farrokhzad, Thomas Chatterton

Critiques

club special

16 years ago

Poetry is fun

This is very nice, really liked reading through. Refreshing respite from the other stuff on this site... Your poem also keeps on track very well, um, Five FRiggin stars!! Club Special~

Bluesky Woman

16 years ago

is it done?

Dalton, this poem is such a stream of consciousness piece.... it somehow feels unfinished. is there more, or have you really said all you wished to here? it's very good, makes me think.... want to know more of who wrote this poem... were i a crack within the heart of the first and brightest angel scourged sixty ways for my likeness to God and not God… scourged sixty ways... why 60?? Leigh "The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth." Thich Nhat Hanh

Dalton

15 years 11 months ago

it is a referance to the

it is a referance to the Angel Metatron who was scourged 60 times with a fiery whip for his likeness to God, granting him the name the "Lesser Yahweh" he was scourged after the prophet Elisha ben Abuyah who witnessed him in a vision of Paradise sitting in a golden throne surrounded by all the ministering angels (as in heaven the only being permitted to sit is God) the prophet upon seeing this bewailed "there must be two powers in heaven". and so Metatron was scourged for his likeness to the Almighty to prove that he was only an angel, and not God. thankyou for reading my poem, john

Bluesky Woman

16 years ago

thanks for this elucidation

I have never read this account of Metatron, John Dalton.... thanks where does one find such a story? I'd like to read it for myself.... you are welcome. Leigh "The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth." Thich Nhat Hanh

Dalton

16 years ago

Dear Bluesky

I'm sure there are many books on the subject. but i have a book called: "Tree of Souls - The Mythology of Judaism" you'll find all you need to know in there. you can find it on Amazon. john

Bluesky Woman

16 years ago

Tree of souls

thanks, John Dalton. I'll see what I can find of this myth... and wait for more elucidation on this from you..... "The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth." Thich Nhat Hanh

Seren

16 years ago

Dear John

brilliant poem and the illumination in the comments was great thanks for sharing this one I think its my new favourite lol love JayCee ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")

Dalton

15 years 11 months ago

This one is probably the

This one is probably the best poem in a long line of duff (inferior poems) i've written in a long while. thankyou for your thoughts, john x