Humanist Voices in Verse: Against the End

This week’s poem is by Richard R. Cuyler. He received two degrees in English literature and taught at both the secondary and college level. He has also served on the staff of two university presses. Now retired, he enjoys writing poetry.

If you’d like to contribute original poetry to Humanist Voices in Verse, write to hnn@americanhumanist.org with “Poetry” in the subject line.

Please send no more than three poems for consideration per week.

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Against the End
   a villanelle

When death arrives, no joy will be revealed.
No learned faith will boost us past our end.
All false beliefs will not remain concealed.

We spurn the hope our wrongs can be appealed
to some high court run by a trusted friend.
When death arrives, no joy will be revealed.

Our careless lacks in living won’t be peeled
so meaninged merits glow as dividend.
All false beliefs will not remain concealed.

Life’s end will know all expectations sealed,
but leave a fullness dying can’t transcend.
When death arrives, no joy will be revealed.

We testify that good can be annealed
to acts the world can choose to apprehend.
All false beliefs will not remain concealed.

From salvation’s hope we can be healed,
find virtue now on which we can depend.
When death arrives, no joy will be revealed.
All false beliefs will not remain concealed.

—Richard R. Cuyler