Lonely Men

By Orson Scott Card

Glory be to God, and for the lives

of lonely men praise Him: for out

of silence come the songs of prophets,

and out of solitude the word of God derives.

From the shadow of his cowl, Isaiah spoke,

flinging strong words like knives of light

into the heart of Israel; though clear and right,

Jeremiah chafed beneath a yoke;

No-man-friended, Moses bore the weight

of a law to last a thousand lowering years;

like a leaf from the wind hiding, Moroni, hate

pursuing, trod a continent alone. Fears

Saul the people? Paul does not. Berate them,

stripe them, crucify them, jeers ringing:

they only die, God’s praises singing.