Prayer
for Jennifer


You pull the purple through wildflowers,
run with legs of river to the ocean,
Your rocking babe, whom You coo to sleep
and close the tired eyes of the world,
only to clap us awake each morning
with glory that crowns the mountains,
tenderly breathing the sky, and this
we call the sun is just the flush
of Your joy, life is just Your kiss,
but Lord, Lord, I ask only for peace.

The sun may cloud and all the day's
childish dancing may cease,
spring may spill its buttercups
and break its fragile hip
on the harsh willow's root, You may 
steal small tearful pleasures from me,
but Lord, Lord, all I ask is peace.

I have asked for wisdom 
when I could not bear to know, 
for wealth I could not carry,
beauty so I could not breathe,
choked in wonder, praying to scream
and then ravaging my throat
with feral noise. I have learned
how to pray, Lord, learned
the silence of Your awe,
know the travesty of bliss,
and Lord, oh Lord, I ask only for peace.


Don Zirilli
5/10/2000