Crazy Jane Testifies

Clifford, Wayne (1944)

Original Text

Wayne Clifford. Jane Again. Emeryville, Ontario: Biblioasis, 2009.

1I found no place called Paradise.

2No narrow pathway led

3to grace but unmeant sacrifice,

4from which some torment fled,

5though cord-knit from each infant soul

6in purgatory’s womb,

7such greed grew, placental, whole,

8as furnace might consume.

9Oh, I climbed down to Hell, of course.

10I met the bishop there.

11The imps he’d hid in his lips’ purse

12were tweezing out his hair,

13and with each bellowed, sinful curse,

14judged his small pain less fair

15than what his good had caused them worse,

16before skull fixed his stare.

17And yes, I’ve seen the face of God

18which I could scarce abide.

19It most resembled churchyard sod,

20but from the underside.

RPO poem Editors

Jim Johnstone

RPO Edition

2013

Special Copyright

Poem used with permission of the author.