I Asked for a Prayer

I asked for a prayer

For the new year

One with just a few words 

That will match my breathing

And will sing effortlessly 

In my heart

And yours

---

I wanted a prayer

That I could feel so deeply

As if you had pushed me deep

Into a pool of water

That I paint over and over again

In the imagination of my heart

Bottomless

Endless

Green

So pure, so fresh, so life-giving

That I could feel it

As a flood of your Love

Abundant

Unconditional

Astonishing 

Swirling in dance around me

Taking my breath away

And then filling my lungs with a freshness

That could explode through my lungs

When you pushed me to the surface

And in a sparkled moment I might understand

That years from now

When I close my eyes 

I will remember the feeling of this water depth

So pure, so fresh, so life-giving

---

I asked for a prayer

That I do not need to explain

That you

O Holy One

Who loves me most

And knows me so well 

That even without a sound from my voice

You would hear and know the prayers of my heart

---

I sat still in silence 

For so long on nearly the last cold day of December 

That as I sat and watched

The sky performed its evening ritual

Changing from afternoon sunlight blue

To sunset pink

To velvet night

---

And just as the stars began to twinkle

I heard you

Once, twice, three times

Whisper the words of my prayer

For this new year

“Deep calls to deep”

The words of another poet’s prayer

Echoing across the ages and landing in my soul

---

These words are all I need

To remind me

Of all the people

Of all the places

Of the whole planet and all of Creation

That live constantly

On the edge and in the depth of my prayers

---

Already 

These words sing in my heart

---