Poems to God No.1

   The years swerved along
  from a shy, scrupulous boy
  to a still-standing old man
  now slowly disappearing
   into a cloud of memories,
   regrets & scarred hopes
  seeking to be sought by You
  in this permeating loneliness
   where all exits simply end
   suddenly facing You alone.
  I bear the pure nothingness
   from which You created me
   & the soulful divine beauty
  You imagined into existence
  despite knowing my drama
   distracting me from You &
   addiction to all the chaos
  in my wake as I continue
   crawling through my ruins
   into Your mystical solitude. 

Dr. Alan Altany, originally from Sharon, Pennsylvania and now living in Florida, has B.A. and M.A. degrees in Catholic theology (St. John’s University, MN), and a Ph.D. in religious studies (University of Pittsburgh). Before his academic career as a college and university professor and director of professional faculty development, he worked as a high school and parish religious educator, factory and lawn maintenance worker, farm worker, and hotel clerk. He continues to teach in college (Comparative Religions) on a part-time basis and both wants and needs to write poetry.