It’s far beyond my competence
And some may find it odd
To justify, As Milton might
The ways of Man to God
Since mankind first awakened
We sought to understand
Our place in this creation
That the great Creator planned
We sought it in the river
And we sought it in the wild
We sought it with the innocence
And wisdom of a child
We knew that in the thunder
And the bellow of the bear
Was something greater than we were
And sought to find it there
We found tremendous forces
That were fearsome and benign
And set our growing powers
To divine what was divine
We tamed the flooding river
And we caught the racing wind
Built ourselves a tower
And in doing so, we sinned
Coming from the rubble
We determined to be stronger
And we builded a cathedral
That would last a little longer
It stood for many centuries
It told the human story
As we filled it with our music
And imagined what was glory
But by the weight of miracles
Its builders have been harassed
Its corridors neglected
And believers, all embarrassed
The cornerstone is lost alas
The roof is old and leaking
And man is like a child again
Wandering and seeking
I claim no jot or tittle
No syllable or letter
But every time a tower falls
We aim to build it better
