evening in the forest

✂ only man has made himself
his god,
only the god, man, can become
old and die -
there are thousands of gods,
some of which we know
some of which we see only one time
some of which are but names -
- I am not old and I am not young,
I know only
the gods of growth and birth and death,
they don't speak to us, they
don't want our prayers, and
sometimes I've heard them laugh
and sometimes weep -
what do they
care about man and his angry claims,
they know but growth and birth and death
why should we claim to be men -?
- sometimes I hear my laughter answered,
and sometimes my sorrow -
there are thousands of gods,
some of which we know -