In That Ill-Storied Man I See

In that ill-storied man I see
The very worst that lives in me.
So hear my honest, heartfelt plea:
     Remove these things, O Lord, from me;

Enslaved by fear instead of love,
Averse to listen, quick to judge,
Beholding life so selfishly — 
     Remove these things, O Lord, from me;

That sad and lonely lust for fame
With constant image to maintain,
Such pride and insecurity!—
     Remove these things, O Lord, from me;

Over-simplicity and lies,
Revenge on those who criticize
Or question, even lovingly — 
     Remove these things, O Lord, from me;

Where leadership breeds arrogance,
Where comfort grows to decadence,
Where rightness kills humility — 
     Remove these things, O Lord, from me;

That I, ill-storied all the same,
In seeking justice, would remain
A slave to love, from evil free,
     Remove these things, O Lord, from me.

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Originally posted at Poets Unlimited. Picture by DonkeyHotey (Creative Commons).