Padraig Ó Tuama (b.1975)

God Is the Fracture

I used to need to know
the end of every story
but these days I only
need the start to get me going.

God is the crack
where the story begins
We are the crack
where the story gets interesting

We are the choice of
where to begin
the person going out?
the stranger coming in?

God is the fracture
and the craic in your voice
God is the story
flavoured with choice

God is the pillar of salt
full of pity
accusing God
for the sulphorous city.

God is the woman who bleeds
and who touches
We are the story
of courage or blushes.

God is the story
of whatever works
God is the twist at the end
and the quirks

We are the start
and we are the centre
we’re the characters
narrators, inventors.

God is the bit
that we can’t explain
maybe the healing
maybe the pain.

We are the bit
that God can’t explain
maybe the harmony
maybe the strain.

God is the plot
and we are the writers
the story of winners
and the story of fighters

the story of love
and the story of rupture
the story of stories
the story without structure.