Knock
* * *
One Eve... the Devil tempted me:
“Wouldn’t you like one night
to have with God sssomethinggg like
...an interview? ...to ask a Ttrinity
of inquiries that have plagued us...
since Annntiquity?”
* * *
”...yes, but in exchange for what?” I asked skeptically, reluctant of inadvertently making a deal with Evil.
“Darling, nottthing! this oness’s on meee... conssider it as fffullfilling my curiosssity vicariousssly...” he said wrapping himself like a boa around my knees, sensing no doubt my resistance was weak. ”...steady ourssselvess my sweeet. Well... whattt willll it beee...” he said now whispering right up into my immobilized ear.
“Ok, I’ll meet with God! Three days hence... I need a little time to gather my thoughts,” I said, and was immediately from the strangle hold released—nearly falling from these feet.
“Yessss.... then I’ll ssset you up...” he said stealthily disappearing beneath the Azalea leaves, as I began in cold sweat to think: what would I ask? how? what in the world would it look like, this uncanny scene?
* * *
The appointed day set on the calendar of the Infinite:
I went in like to some confessional dimly lit
with a latticework screen set out between
...just me and one hooded figurine...
* * *
...I bit hard on my tongue so as not to spontaneously squander number one by asking the obvious: “Gawd! why are you so small?” (No bigger than myself even!) ...in my mind that was indeed my very first question. In this confined, hot, shadowed space, I admit I felt as if already on the precipice of Hell.
“God..?” I said timidly disturbing the Silence in the air. “God, why do you hide from us?”
”—Child, in this Infernal, I mean Eternal hide and seek, it is surely not I who hides, but I who seeks... you are forever ducking recognizance as if... but I Am... I am the Abode that you always see, and who always sees. I find you, and call to you, but you do not always answer me... wwhy...? is the Consscience... not clean?”
“God, why do you toy with us?!” was my quick rejoinder, and strike number two. I wasn’t at all impressed by this allusion to fun and games, nor the attempted inversion of the interview...
“Perhaps, you confuse me with the Evil one?” the hooded figure said leaning in real-well. ”...know that I too am fond... of charades, blind-man’s bluff, and musical chairs... ” he said glibly, ”...To keep us entertained.” I thought this very strange. The cloak leaned back a bit:
“And question number three?” he propelled with greediness of ear.
I caught my breath; aiii to have only one more to work with! and nothing answered yet. I noticed at that moment, while looking down, the indent of a slide handle along the screen’s edge. It should open to the left... motionlessly I assessed my chances for the best.
“Well?” he said tapping bony fingers impatiently....
I jumped at the occasion of this slight distraction—
“Is there a Devil?!?” I said, simultaneous throwing open the screen to pull the cloak from the shrouded one. And I’ll be damned! It was a caricature of me. My worst self sat there smuggly and said:
“Haha! my dear, your are talking to your own projection... and see how we are without conviction! and afraid of your Self! irresponsible and... of little Faith! God is everywhere and the language of God is Life; you speak it, hear it, feel it, live it; yet recognize it not for what it is. Doubt is your demon.”
* * *
Laughingstock, my Devil smiled;
saw me look all-over for God, over our shoulder, back to the mirror...
while I called out, and then cried: why?! oh why? ...Is God not in?
but that was... Exactly it... In, Everything, and to the nth degree.