Thursday, November 17, 2016

Raining Prayer – v2


We were all gathered in prayer
heads bowed in the sanctuary
as she began to speak
to proclaim our petitions
speaking for each one of us
in pastoral prayer
in the midst of our silence
lifting up our hopes, our dreams
our desires up to God

Speaking of the holiday
the meaning behind the pausing
the remembering of Labor Day
She spoke of our concerns,
our celebrations, sharing
with each other, with God
how God had blessed us
how God is the source of all things
the creator of our lives

But then she paused, murmuring
reminders of the larger world
the unfinished business
of laborers tired, laborers working
through Labor Day
of the forgotten and used
of minimum wage
of workers in other lands
oppressed for our goods

The sky opened, as if in retort
giving an Amen from the heavens
rapping suddenly, intently, insistently
on the domed roof
echoing through the wood
high above us
the prayers we had raising
in silence together

Preach sister! Preach of the oppressed
the migrants and the unwanted jobs
the unskilled, and our desires for things
make us remember that laborers
still labor, this Labor Day
that we in this land of excess
have forgotten the mills, but they are there
they are still in use
for our desires, our wantings

We are kindred with them too
even when we forget
see only the day off
reminded by her words,
the staccato of the rain raising its voice
while ours were still heads bowed
listening to her prayer
and the Amen and Amen again
echoing in the rain

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edited November 17, 2016
Raining Prayer – v2

September 3, 2006 15:52
Raining Prayer

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 42,310+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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