Spinoza

 (Baruch de Spinoza, 1632-1677)

there in the Hague

Spinoza sat, grinding

lenses, making a living

from clarity.

Jews expelled him,

Christians menaced 

him, just because

he wrote that

God was the sum 

of all parts--the 

only complete

being and the property

of no religion

but only of Godself.

it came as cold 

news. worse,

it made

and makes

a certain amount

of sense.