Yet another Barely-Remembered Thing thread (a poem)

Cafe Society
1

Probably 10 or more years ago, I heard a guy on Fresh Air, I think. He had spent a lot of time as an inpatient in mental health facilities. IIRC, he had spent years in a “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” kind of place. He’d published a book of poetry. The interviewer had him read one that went something like:

There were times when I prayed,
yes prayed on my knees,
for [various things with which to kill myself]
and [in the morning or something after praying]
I realized that God does not care
what is more, He does not care at all
and that is why He exists.

This sound familiar to anybody?

2

Just a little bump to run this across the front page one more time. If it sinks to a watery grave again, I’ll give it up.

3

I have no answers, but you could try looking at the Fresh Air archives online: http://www.npr.org/templates/calendar/index.php?prgId=13 .

I clicked 1998 and tried a date and came up with an episode with a poet named Robert Hass. I don’t know if he’s the one you want but at least the synopses seem to be detailed enough that you can look for ones that feature poets.

You could also try emailing someone at NPR and asking.