Poem 049: Orison Poem by Samer Madbak

O Lord!
Behold, I am come to summon thee
To the banquet of my worship
For it is thy boundless merit
To consider my adversity.
Look thus upon my hardship,
My broken spirit.

Look upon me, Father of all,
Through the eye of compassion
For I strove to be thy like,
To follow in thy fashion
Oh how I tried…
But darkness did engulf my soul
And tossed the pitiless pike
Of failure in my side.
Oh Lord!
How oft I tried resistance
To this chaotic drove,
How oft I strove
And stumbled…
How I tried to stay at height
And keep my distance
But I was humbled…
How I was bent
To perceive your mystery,
I met no ends.
Woe thousandfold be unto me!
And death bedim my sight!
Because I deemed easy
Your government,
And I trowed breezy
Your stormy trends.

O Lord!
How can I accost thee
For in the foolishness of my heart
I have run astray,
And in my blindness
I have set thee apart
And lost thee
But O life-giver
Will you not show me the way
And be the forgiver
Of my unkindness?
Will you not hearken unto me
For heavy is my breast
And the fullness of atrocity
Is o’er my shoulders
How can I withstand
Those baleful boulders
How can I rest
Without your easing hand?

O Lord!
Consider my repentance
Repentance of a clod
Who in emptiness
Bethought himself a god
And did you ill
Take not thy vengeance
On his core
But forgive his wickedness
For yours is all the power and will
And the glory is thine
For evermore
Until the end of time
Amen!


Zgharta
April 2nd 1989