Worship
what works;
forget the rest.
If they tell you it’s forbidden
it offers something they can’t.
Forget about prayer
creating what you seek: prayer works best
when it fails you.
Those who die in their own evil
go somewhere you can’t imagine; the ones
who die good go the same way. Imagine
that an angel has power beyond
one stroke of its open wings
or you will never understand
the ways of nature.

Finally,
pretend God has your face. Pretend
Satan has hold of his mirror. Move your jaws
in words that spell the same
both ways. You will find yourself
saying little. Spend yourself
understanding it.