Congregation

by Laura Taylor

Wednesday 30th August 2017 11:19 am

we congregate

at 3am

huddled, not with hands together,

(no one prays out loud)

in silent supplication to whatever

can remove us from this hour

we do not have our hands together

prayers are whispered inwardly

desperation tethered to the tiny tips of light

as they hurtle down from high above

this no smoking arena

we do not pray out loud

this ensemble of the baggy-eyed and tissue-tearing few

staring urgently at little bits of light

between our fingers

as we promise

to be grateful

in mundanity;

offer up today in trade

for breath upon the morning

we congregate

at 3am

frozen in a semi-circled episode of hope

and fear betrayal of a one-time-only faith

Comments

Laura Taylor

Mon 4th Sep 2017 13:53

Many thanks Ray. As for willing stuff to happen, I have one really quite spooky experience of that, that I will tell you about at some point.

raypool

Fri 1st Sep 2017 19:06

Very eloquent and the poem reaches the parts that we all feel at some stages. We need to feel connected to a greater whole. I can't subscribe to the "we'll never be good enough mantra and that we can be saved from that." We are all though addicted to life and its needs and temptations and why should the devil have all the fun.

I certainly believe we can will things to happen - another story. That must surely make us stronger and not such a burden on religion, which has enough problems of its own.

A great poem Laura.

Ray

Cynthia Buell Thomas

Thu 31st Aug 2017 14:38

I think that every time we write a poem, we are actually 'committing' a prayer to the page, the ether, another mind - just an effort of sincere communication from one human person to another. And usually without rancour, if you couldn't exactly call it LOVE.

I was very young when I realized that most people approach prayer as 'bargaining', 'trade-off'. And I thought, even then, how ridiculous such a notion was, robbing the whole concept of magnificence. And what is life without MAGNIFICENCE? So, I think you must pray a lot.

Laura Taylor

Thu 31st Aug 2017 12:08

Thank you Cynthia - great praise. Without saying too much, it most definitely involves love.

And thank you too David. Yes. I'm not an atheist, although I was raised as one, but I'm not religious in the 'this is what we do in church' kind of way either. I've only prayed once...

Cynthia Buell Thomas

Wed 30th Aug 2017 20:24

'Still as the night and deep as the sea' - a quote in English from a German poet whose name I forget. I sang this many times as an 'Art Song' during my vocal training so many years ago. This work evokes the same 'feeling' although it is not a 'love song'.

But, you know, maybe it is. 'Love' has many faces. I think this poem is magnificent. As, IMO, is your mind.

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Congregation

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