We were no different
From all other families
We read the Bible
And prayed together
Every night before
We went to bed
Prayers by rote
After a while
Except for dad’s
The self-styled
Prayer warrior
And some of yours
They were doozies
Like the ones you prayed
Where you asked God
To take you on
To be with him
I never could figure
Those ones out
You and dad
Never explained
Such mysteries
But he would say amen
As if you had said
God bless little Michael
Or God give us
A little more money
Next month
If it be in thy will
Take you on?
What does that mean?
And now
Here we are
All these years later
Brenda is twice as old
As you were then
And you have
Outlived dad by
Ten years
Ten long years
I liked lying
Between you and dad
When I was little
Feeling the cold
Skin above your elbow
Between my fingers
This was before those prayers
Before our big move
Before dad got hit
In the face that night
On his way to Bible school
By the real estate agent
I am coming to visit
In a few days
They say you are
Going away soon
I won’t pray for you
And I won’t ask you
To pray either
I did not understand
Those prayers back then
I still don’t get prayer
I won’t console you
And you need not me
But I would like to
Hear that song you wrote
The one about
You up with the birds
Looking down on the treetops
But if you can’t sing anymore
That’s okay
I can’t either
