I wonder if the gods
That sit on cushioned
Benches in the sky,
And watch the writhing
Of my pagan soul,
Have felt cracked laughter,
Terrible and real,
Strangle in their throats;
If they have felt cold rain
Against their ever-smiling cheeks,
Or gloried in
The early evening stars.
I wonder if far-reaching
Limbs of trees have grappled
With their hearts,
And wrung the tears from out their souls.
And if they have known any one of these,
They are more merciless and cruel
Than they seem now.
This piece originally appeared in New Strung Bow, a book of poems written by Sarah Lawrence students that was published in 1932.