The God That Failed?

A much edited and much enhanced version of a poem I'd written for a school creative writing contest last year.

As nature brought the day to end,
I laid me down to sleep,
But my repose was stolen as
Black thoughts my mind did creep.

My life, I thought, has yet to see,
The sun rise in the dawn,
My life has been the darkest night,
To yet rise to it's morn.

Providence has it in for me,
He's dealt me a bad hand,
While he upon a thought does free
His will upon the land.

I prayed "Oh God! Take back your gift
Take my life and let it be
I have suffered beneath your yoke
You'd know if you were me."

And lo! as these thoughts did escape
From mind into the night,
An apparition did descend
A halo of bright light.

"I've come", said He, "to grant your wish,
To make you, me, today,
I'll take your place upon this earth,
And live in worldly ways."

And presently I did ascend
Up from my night's abode
And He did come down to my size,
Upon my bed he strode.

I felt great power run through me,
The world was mine to take,
Eager was I to find the truth of,
The claim that he did stake.

But soft, I heard a quiet voice,
Mumbling words in my ear,
And I saw that my great new self,
Was whispering a prayer!

He thanked me for my blessings and,
He thanked that I did care,
He thanked and thanked and thanked some more,
And thanked that I was there.

This open show of gratitude,
Was truly lost on me,
Couldn't he feel what I had felt,
Now that this God was me?

And all day long, he did but feel,
The sorrow that maimed me,
He had as friends, not one except,
His friend of misery.

And came home he to that old man,
I was his only one,
Yet a father I'd never known,
Nor did his now new son.

And yet at night he thanked me still,
He thanked me for his life,
He thanked me that he was so blessed,
He thanked me for his life!

Now time had come for us to change,
To our old selves return,
So he did rise, and I did fall,
To gain knowledge I'd earned

"Why do you thank me?" I did ask
"My life is all but black!"
"I thanked for all you granted me,
For all I did not lack."

"I do give you all that you need,
All that of which you ask,
But only when the time is ripe,
When it's the present task.

"So thank me for what you do have
What others still do crave,
When it is time for me to give,
You'll get what I have saved."

Another day did start to end,
More thoughts my mind did creep,
These too kept me from repose as
I laid me down to sleep.

"Sweet Lord, why must I only dwell
On that which I do own?
And not ask why all my neighbors
Do live in larger homes?

"And why must I be grateful for
The less I do possess?
But think that you do love them more
And me you have not blessed?"

The new day shone upon me as
I dwelt in musings deep
But He did not come this time, as
I laid me down to sleep.