On behalf of Gods

-Ted Hughes

She had too much so with a smile you,

Took some.

Of everything she had you had,

Absolutely nothing, so you took some.

At first, just a little.

Still she had so much she made you feel,

Your vacuum, which nature abhorred.

So you took your fill, for nature’s sake.

Because her great luck made you feel unlucky,

You had redressed the balance, which meant,

Now you had some too, for yourself.

As seemed only fair. Still her ambition

Claimed the natural right to screw you up

Like a crossed out page, loosed into a basket.

Some body, on behalf of Gods.

Had to correct that hubris.

A little touch of hatred steadied the nerves.