Be kind. Be merciful, especially now that we have declared ourselves at your mercy, unreservedly, unequivocally, nothing less than whole-heartfelt, cockles and ventricles included. Any other body parts that you would like or command us to will to you or your uses we shall gladly do, down to the tips of our nails and the ions of our last breath. We can bottle it and preserve it as proof of our abject dedication and prostration to you. We can use labels, on the bottles I mean. We can say, The Last Breath of phalana-phalana-phalana, dhikana-dhikana-dhikana exhaled in the service of, who else but YOU, the ONLY. The one and only, or so it is that we have learnt to refer to those that are in the nature of who you are. Matlab. Never mind. Be kind.
We tried, there was a time we did. We thought we could. Genuinely. We were also given to understand we could do what we tried to do, you know, say no to you and say yes to someone other than you. You know, like make a choice. We deluded ourselves, that too. But that’s allowed, isn’t it, a bit of delusion, and a bit of deluding? Anyway.
Who are we? To even think the way we often do? Or to say out things we often do? Forgive us, oh great and benevolent Lord, do forgive us. For we, you know, what was it? For we know not what we do? Right, that’s how that goes. Anyhow, that’s not the issue. The issue is that you rule and we are the ruled, and that is what works best, we agree. And therefore we submit that be not harsh on us. What would be the use? It is not like earlier now, you can see what has changed, can you not, O Mighty One?
There was that time, yes, we concede, there was that time when we believed we could do it. We were many, far more than you, and we thought we could do it, encircle you and lay siege and squeeze you out, shake your high seat and topple you and be done with you. But we deluded ourselves, and we suffered for it. We did not reckon with fundamental things, things like differences. You were You, and we were wee. Many, yes, many more than you but still wee. That’s what we were. We made mistakes, and you taught us. With a swipe here and a swipe there. You roared and we shivered. We lifted a paw and we fell. But none of that is now required. We will do what is required and only fitting. You needn’t trouble yourself. Stay there, enthroned. The rest we shall manage.
We call ourselves the ones self-made
And so any assistance we strongly forbade
While you fiddle about and strum the lyre
Worry not, we will happily arrange our own pyre.
