I was thinking about the “Our Father” prayer and wrote this.
Give us this day
Gratitude for simply living.
Give us this day
The grace to walk the narrow way
Aright; and to assuage pain’s sting,
A heart of generous giving
Give us, this day.
Prayer
Décima: Uncertainty
It is already the tenth décima challenge from Ronovan, and this is my offering.
The world today’s a messy place:
It seems impossible to clean,
So in the rubble we must glean
Glinting sunlight learn to embrace.
Now at a dizzying pace
Confusion makes more mess: often
We think it’s figured out, and then
Does anything make any sense?
We know there will be recompense
But we are impatient for when.
Some say the world will end in fire…
I decided to share this décima for Ronovan’s challenge, despite not being 100% happy with it. It’s pretty bleak, but that’s what kind of head-space I’ve been in: like, “If God is going to destroy the world now, can He get it over with?” Also sharing with this week’s MLMM photo challenge because the photo and poem are related. Apologies to Robert Frost for the title.
God said He’d never Earth entire
Destroy with rain, and that is why
The rainbow arcs across the sky –
But He said nothing about fire.
When will the Earth become a pyre,
Is there a method to avoid?
Repent, that we be not destroyed.
Of course we pray our rosary,
Yet despair haunts me doggedly:
What hell is this, Fauci to Floyd?
Searching…
I am sharing this with the Writers’ Pantry, as we say goodbye to May and say “Onward, June.” I’m happy about today being the special day of Pentecost, yet this is what I wrote in response to reading a passage from Romans 8 this morning.
He who searches hearts:
Understand this muddled voice
Troubled with what-if
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God
Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV)
Hope Undying
This was inspired by Linda Kruschke’s paint-chip poetry #21. I was also partially inspired by Memorial Day, which was on Monday.
The blue irises of her eyes
Find the looking-glass, and pine
For her Beloved, praying, that
Under a field of poppies he’s not staying:
The nursery which she’s preparing
For their child waiting to be born,
Is a safe place, needs to reassure —
So her soldier’s return is worth waiting for.
Passage
For DVerse Poetics about portals. This has the rhyme scheme of a Chaucerian stanza but no consistent meter.
When God led the Israelites
Through the Red Sea,
It was a portal to new life
Out of slavery,
But not without difficulty —
Some doors are hurdles to get through,
Need keys to unlock wider view.
Prepare a Place for Hope
This week, Frank challenges us to write a 14-line poem. I was going to write a sonnet but decided to try two Chaucerian stanzas. My poem is inspired by today’s Gospel reading, which is John 14:1-6.
The Lord has said He will prepare a place
And that He will return to take us back,
So that we may live always face to face,
Realizing finally there is no lack
In love, and that there’s safety from attack.
We must wait patiently for His return,
The chaste heart of His bride He will not spurn.
His words were difficult to understand,
Even for His disciples to believe.
In times distressing we look to what’s planned
And know that there is someday a reprieve,
Pure paradise which we will never leave:
There are manifold places there to dwell,
I long for that day when all will be well.
Morning to Night
Today at DVerse Poetics, Bjorn asks us to write about solitude. He adds, “Solitude to me is a tool to handle loneliness,” an insight that I really liked. This poem was inspired by the fact that I tend to do most of my writing in the morning, yet I also wrote this poem just now.
It is early in the morning,
No one to greet except Jesus
And the sun, prayers rising,
And pen bringing more words,
Companions into my world.
It is getting late at night,
With the moon out to play
And many people sleeping, less light,
With pen vivifying more verses
To get through this darker time.
Beautiful and Terrible
For NaPoWriMo day 28, here is a poem inspired by the photo below, for Fandango’s flash-fiction challenge this week.
An orange flare in the sky —
Does anyone ask why?
Or do they gaze at what they see
With impotent curiosity,
Saying nothing but, “Oh, pretty!”
An orange flare sent into the sky —
And nobody is asking why.
While Watching Mass
It was difficult for me to write any poems today, but here’s one. NaPoWriMo day 25.
Your heart
Elevated —
My hands over my heart
Whispering “My Lord and my God!” —
Come soon.
