clcouch123

(x = space)

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An Odd Prayer to Share

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God, help us

As we must know you

Something besides us

For people fail

They go away

Often for normal reasons

We are inside

And something should be known

Outside the skin

Of each of us

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We breathe

And that’s good

What is breathing for

And other pleasures?

And when it hurts

And they

What then?

Where is the reason

Who’s the reason?

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Nature is good

We can humanize

When we’re not exploiting

Its indifference

With our indifference

We can worship it

It will not specifically respond

We can destroy it

But then

We can destroy each other

Too

(not recommended)

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There is something

That is not us

Someone

Who is not us

We are talking to you

Unless we’re sure there’s nothing

And we’re only talking

To ourselves

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Either way, something more

Is needed

Not that each of us is bad

Or useless

Not that self-destruction is a choice

And we’re committed

(or we’re careless)

In which case

There is no talking

To oneself or anything

And we choose that way

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Or talk us out of it

(and here is a conceit

if not a cheat,

for this is a collective prayer)

Set us on paths

Toward light

Toward life

Toward righteousness

Not the indignant kind

Not ego-driven

But has illumination

As a cause

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Beyond self

There are so many things

So many people

There is much within us, too

Even the storm

And we are enough

For that

For them

For us

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C L Couch

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a prayer to say together, on behalf, or one by one

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Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash

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