As Honestly as Able
(praying)
God
As honestly as I am able
I do pray
For people
As in
As for
The thumping child upstairs
With the thumping
Mother
Keep them
And I’ll try to mean not as the Czar
So far
Away
(the rabbi’s prayer from the musical)
And
Yeah
I’ll pray for politicians
Too
And try to think of something loving to ask
For them
If not
Of them
And
Yes
The secret world
Behind the visible where people
Meet and think
To plan
To execute
The running of the rest
The visible
Unhiding world
God
Be with all or us and we should say
According to you will
And
Of course we should
I’m sorry
That’s confession that I think
So hard of things sometimes or wish to
Re-create if
Never
In my image
Yours being
Glorious enough
I hear
Because how glorious is
Perfection
Friends
Families
My own adversaries
Keep
Them all wherever
However you
Deem
Because you’re deeming’s good
Being
In fact
The best
Amen
C L Couch
Photo by Javier Ortiz on Unsplash
About the Praying
I haven’t
prayed so much today,
not yet.
Sorry about that.
Can prayers move back in time?
I think
they can,
not as an excuse
but to place them where
they’re needed,
God of where
And when.
Amen.
C L Couch
Photo by Ahmad Ossayli on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
The Lord Hears
x
The Lord hears
Our prayers
We don’t how they’re
Tallied or remembered
If there’s a meeting
On each day in heaven
When and where
Angels receive assignments
Even discuss
The timing
x
Each word is heard
There is no requirement
We may ask in faith
Or doubt
We might be easy in our words
Or difficult
Say something
It is heard
x
It might be yes or no
Though the Lord is more than
Binary
There must be many ways
To answer prayer
Materially
Abstractly
With small mechanical change
Or simply in an attitude
Encouraged to endure
x
Good is still pretty good
Without the bad
There is a learning value
We suppose
But ask for what is needed
And think about
Confession
And thanksgiving
x
Dear and
Amen
Is not
Are not
Required
Say either or both
For a beginning and an ending
Or you know
Don’t
Leave the prayer suspended
In the air
For someone else to catch
To carry with endearment
For another’s hearing
And response
x
There’s always something next
Pray badly
Stutter in your heart
Speak
Or simply think your prayer with God
Pray what Jesus taught
As a responsibility
An affirmation
x
But however
The words go
And whichever
We will be heard by truth
And responded to
With love’s
Practicality
And maybe by our reckoning
A miracle
x
Listened
And responded to
The transactional nature of the world
Confirms
It points the way
Creation’s creator
Reckoning perfectly
Providing something always
In return
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Chaotica
x
Lord,
It’s a good day
For normal praying
x
In churches everywhere
There will be choruses
That say it right
x
But my prayer
Is cacophony,
Nothing regular
Or regularly rhythmed out
x
I hope you will forgive that,
All the off-pitch, off-key
Murmuring,
Uneven humming through
The perfect angel-layering
Of formal prayers
x
But I need you;
I need your company
x
You could simply sit close by,
And maybe we’d say nothing
To each other
And somehow know
Eternity is hearing
Everything as it should
x
Everything that’s needed
To respond just right
To an uneven,
Lopsided,
Person praying badly
x
Out of place
In whatever place
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash
x
clcouch123 
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