Poems
The Prayer of the Tortoise
by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold
translated from French to English by Rumer Godden
Un peu de patience,
mon Dieu,
j’arrive!
A little patience,
O God,
I am coming.
One must take nature as she is!
It was not I who made her!
I do not mean to criticize
this house on my back —
it has its points—
but You must admit, Lord,
it is heavy to carry!
Still,
let us hope that this double enclosure,
my shell and my heart,
will never be quite shut to You.
GlobeRoamer 