3581. HALLABY

HALLABY

When I was a young boy, my God

was Hallaby  -  as was taught to me.

Lord's Prayer, all that stuff : 'Our Father,

who are in Heaven, Hallaby, thy name.'

Worked for me, all the same.

-

Then one day, it seemed, Hallaby had just

left. Oh, occasional sightings I'd see from

afar  -  throwing orbits into planets and

stars, this Hallaby. Distant and dark,

standing pat and then gone.

-

The loose sliver of a moon darting

down, slinking away  -  things meant

for but a measure of moment alone,

nothing so grave or awesome to kill.

I found, it seemed, wherever located

this Hallaby was, it was just biding

time. I looked askance, then, at all

those rules and rites - and this time,

just as well, passed me by, which

by me was quite fine. And today,

I am happy with nothing at all.