[Julie Steiner]

Wow, Martin, I now have much more appreciation for your struggles with Kryl’s complex rhymes over the past few years. Not sure I'm getting the meter of those bumpy C-rhymed lines, especially, but here's my attempt:


THANK YOU, LORD

God gave me,
gave me green sprouts from stumps
to weave my crowning laurels.
Thank you, Lord,
thanks for my clouts and bumps,
my questions and my quarrels.
Thank you, Lord,
thanks for my sufferings,
to teach me stubborn toughness,
so I might
might make You offerings
of all my not-enoughness.
Thank you, Lord; thank you, Lord; thank you Lord.

Thank you, Lord.
Thanks for my flaws, to teach
intense humiliation.
Freed from pride,
freed now, I’m caused to reach
for limitless elation.
Thank you, Lord.
Thanks for instructive tears,
so I might know their feeling—
those who cry,
cry for productive years
of justice, peace, and healing.
Thank you, Lord; thank you, Lord; thank you Lord.

Thanks for murk,
the murk, so earning light’s
our yearning and ambition.
Thank you, Lord,
thanks our concern is spite’s
most constant opposition.
For fatigue,
fatigue so sleep acquires
the sweetness that it warrants,
thank you, Lord.
Thanks for the sweep of fires
and cleansing rush of torrents.
Thank you, Lord; thank you, Lord; thank you Lord.

Thank you, Lord,
thanks for the thirst that shows
in restless hours’ dissension.
Thank you, Lord,
thanks for the worst that shows
the best of our intention.
For the fact,
the fact my attitude
is love, though fear constrains me.
Lamb, here’s my
gratitude:
your worthwhile death unchains me.
Thank you, Lord; thank you, Lord; thank you Lord; thank you, Lord; thank you Lord.