Me and Abraham’s Argument

Hey, God,
Here I am,

And, now that I have Your attention,
can I just be a little bold for a minute
                       and ask You a question?

'There reason for our Cities to be struck?
We almost certainly must have enough
                  Good—for what that’s worth.

May the Lord please be not angry with me,
but I know You know You see what I see:
 all the damn suffering, that’s unnecessary.

OK, perhaps, there are Some who are wicked,
who deserve to be snared in War’s thickets,
 but Others, should get less than an NYPD ticket.

                                   So, and Thus,
                                   Here I am,

Asking as a Friend, though You harden hearts:
At least save a Lot, You do know which parts,

And, well...

                             If I could ask just once more,
                              without fearing Your wrath—
                           since You did make me to ask—
                        shouldn’t that just be the Start?

Jody Shenn View from a Brooklyn rooftop, fall 2000.