How Much Longer, Please Tell

How much longer, please tell,

Must I in this body dwell?

I hope You won’t say it’s wrong

If I request that it not be long.

Maybe the time is not yet

Which for this You have set,

But not even a moment more

Do I want to stay here for.

Maybe I’ve wandered about enough,

It’s getting tiresome, and also rough.

No longer here do I want to roam,

Please take me back to our home.

I know that You won’t delay

The arrival of that blessed day

When to recall me You’ll be glad,

Knowing here enough I’ve had,

But before that, please ensure

I finish all You sent me here for.

When this body I’ll leave at last,

It being consigned to the past,

Back to the earth it will return,

Freedom from it I’ll finally earn,

I hope then I won’t ever resume

Donning yet another costume

And that You will kindly decree

From bodily existence I be free.

No longer the burden having to bear,

This body for which to fret and care,

Oh how wonderful it would be

If this favour You’d do for me!

This ‘I’ please ensure I then lose

As into You at last I fully fuse,

In You being completely dissolved,

My ancient anguish finally solved

(For this ‘I’ would no longer remain

To come again to the bodily plane),

As a bird from a cage joyfully flees,

Won't You do this for me soon, please?