Vastness Retreat to a corner there of And Watch. Listen to their muffled voices, Their inarticulate moanings And grieve. Wonder at their shallowness Their posturings, their rules And sigh. Hope for a second coming A messiah, an ending And wait. Endure their pettiness Their misdirected concerns and their games And yearn. For a greater vastness. -- R. M. Keil (1979)