PREFACE

 

Whether author or God, it’s his own redemption –

his or hers – the creator seeks, creating.  A desperate quest, but something must be done.

 

Redemption’s most convincing that’s hardest won: 

 

The worse, the better,

the Redeemer’s Rule. 

 

So more comfortably accomplished through a proxy

in a subordinate frame of reference.  If I’m God,

I’ve got no choice:  my creation’s all I’ve got.

 

And though my surrogate – character or creature –

must suffer, suffer awfully, he – he or she –

mustn’t be purely victim.  Else I were purely monster!

He allows, at times his abuse is just desert. 

 

Between pleas for forgiveness he rails at me.

Between episodes of torture I pity him, hold out hope.

 

Can I really redeem myself by shunting my predicament

to the next story down?

 

redeem him

whose proxy – presumably – I am?  

 

And what choice has he, my creature, but likewise

to undertake his own redemption?

 

by his own Word

tease a cruel world out of the Void . . .  

 

and though the suspicion of depravity will nag at him

too.