The Author's Answer

Said Faithless Heart to its master,
Am I safe?
Am I loved?
Are all these ugly things covered over?
Shall I be kept?
And will you name me?

Said master's lips, “But of course,”
But his heart spoke louder still:
You are not okay,
Undeserving of protection,
How can what's ugly be called lovely?
You are naked and unworthy,
I have no name to speak for you.

Then Faithless Heart's eyes were downcast,
Heart reverberating with the words: they are true.
Who can unmake this?
Who can call what is not as though it were?

Came the Faithful One, saying to the Heart,
“Now hear the Truth:
I AM your husband,
I AM your fortress,
By My love and not your merit, I love you,
I cover you and present you clothed,
You shall be ever kept,
And He spoke a secret name, with Holy Breath.

Faithless Heart no more you'll be,
Accept my answer and cease to ask.
But if ever you do, I, your True Lord, will answer again the same:
I AM your rock and you are mine,
You shall see what I will do."

And so she took her name and asked no more.


Psalms 131
My heart is not proud, O LORD,my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.