The gods and God strike
and
Once I tried to abandon
the gaze of Providence

Arrogant
about my own misgivings
I lashed out
at their blows

In tests of difficulty,
I defied the executioner, the hangman
and the judge
and the police
and the People

You see, they were one and the same
It was all a game
Their game, played for a while
like The Trial and Kafka’s “K”
Just like me in court that day

I laughed in the face of Death,
and placed a bounty on his head
Then I took his scythe

I refused to die
It’s been too long
But I refuse to cry

It’s all too real
even the lie

and

Providence is still watching me
so is Truth