Fred

Le Séamas Ó Neachtain

Níor chreid mé riamh gurb aindiachaí é Fred,

Cé go maíodh sé go minic é.

Ba mhaith leis creidiúint;

Deireadh sé nárbh fhéidir leis.

Chaith sé a shaol mar a bhíodh sé ina Chríostaí,

Ach deireadh sé nach raibh.

Chreidinn ann, ach ní chreidinn é.

Ní chreidfinn é dá ngreanfadh sé ar chlocha é;

Ní chreidfinn é dá scríobhfadh sé leabhar faoi;

Dá dtiocfadh a ghuth ón spéir ag glaoch

“Níl aon Dia ann,” ní chreidfinn é,

Fiú dá dtiocfadh sé ar ais ó na mairbh mar fhinné,

Cé nach mbeadh an saol riamh arís mar a bhíodh.

Sea, bheadh sé níos éasca dom creidiúint

Gur sheol seisean agus Tesla colúr chugam,

Chun chur in iúl dom go bhfuil siad go maith.

Guím go bhfuil sé níos éasca dó anois,

Agus é ar shiúl ar shlí na fírinne.

I never believed that Fred was an atheist,

Even though he would assert it often.

He wanted to believe;

He used to say that he couldn’t.

He lived his life as if he were a Christian,

But used to say he wasn’t.

I believed in him, but I didn’t believe him.

I wouldn’t have believed him had he carved it into stones;

I wouldn’t have believed him had he written about it in a book;

Even if his voice should come from the sky calling out

“There is no God,” I wouldn’t believe him,

Even if he should come back from the dead as a witness,

Although the world would never again be like it had been.

Yes, it would be easier for me to believe

That he and Tesla sent a pigeon to me,

To let me know that they are OK.

I pray that it is easier for him now,

Now that he’s gone off on the way of truth.