1.
so,
you would gamble
with God as your ante
of desperation
you would put God
in a book, in a box
filed in a place
in your life
you take out and put away
at your convenience
only speak to Him
in a rehearsed voice
after He has heard all your anger
your blame
no, God does not live only
in churches like this one
and I will not sit in a row
with you
and pretend family
with a flawed head
visiting church
like it is a big box store
with a shopping list of needs
and wants
bought with currency
He has no need of
remember, this is God
He knows you
your motivation
your faith (you call it that)
a going through the motions
like all this ritual
will lead you to Him
when He is
right in front of you
His arms open
if you would
just
step inside
but your eyes
are closed
and it is not you
but He
that opens
2.
faith
is not formed
when you give God
a time limit
to fix you, catch you
when you fall backwards
in a heavenly trust game
no, we don’t
give God ultimatums
or insist that He speak
to us or through us
tantrum like toddlers
when He does not
or say He is real
as if our knowing
gives Him anything
or that simple recognition
of His existence
means something like faith–
He is real to devils too
no, when God speaks
it is His whisper
resonating
in the solar plexus
that guides
like the magnetic sense
birds use for migration
but leading us to peace
if He spoke to us
with a loud voice, with
thunder shaking our bones, in tones
more purifying
than any sacrificial fire
we would run as the Israelites did
and beg for His silence
that voice calling creation
too big for our ears
even when He just sighs
Susan Daniels Poetry 
I love this – and share your indignation at those who believe that God exists in a box store with a convenient name of sanctity. My most ardent prayers are those I whisper in the wind.
Mine too, Mimi. Mine, too. I originally wrote this for one person, but on reading this again with that lens removed, it can speak to so much more. Thanks for helping me see that.
I question ‘believers’ who hold that the only way to pray is to follow the most confining parameters. I think prayer should have the fewest ‘shoulds’ attached to them. Prayer is a wish from the heart – and wherever one’s heart feels the most free, is where the most sincere conversations occur.
Very well said!
Thanks! I consider that a huge compliment coming from someone with your talent!
oh, my–you have reduced me to a puddle of blushes now…thanks!
🙂 Blushes are always becoming – at least that’s what the fashion mags say…it’s the only way I can reconcile my hot flashes!
LOL, then you have made me beautiful today–and thanks again 🙂
I find so much truth in this. Beautiful, powerful write.
Thank you so much.
a perfect sermon! Lovingly Deb
Thanks, Deb.
Well done sfam. Absolutely well done. And could not be more true.
Thanks, Rhonda–I wrote this with one person in mind (as you know), but I think it can speak to so many other things…
it can and it does…
Hi Susan, I’ve been reading a translation of Hafiz (by Robert Bly), and this reminds me of his ideology and my own spirituality. I really dig your style, there’s both economy and a beautiful cadence to your lines.
Would you mind some nitpicking critique, since we have disparate styles and yet derive mutual enjoyment from each others’ works? =)
Not only would I not mind critique–I would welcome it, and I am a nitpicker by vocation. Glad you enjoyed.
Something else we have in common then; I thank god daily for the existence of bad press releases, else I wouldn’t be able to feed myself. 😉
With regards to the nitpicking critique, I felt that the cadence off your lines dropped off a bit in this particular stanza, which also happens to be my favorite image in ‘my worship’:
“like the magnetic sense
birds use for migration
but that leads us to peace”
in the 2nd and 3rd lines, the line ‘birds use for migration’ doesn’t seem to flow into the line ‘but that leads us to peace’…something about the ‘but’ that breaks up the flow of imagery. Perhaps ‘of migrating birds/leading to peace’?
It’s far from a good substitute because one loses the integrity of meaning of the original, but perhaps something in that rhythmic vein?
Thanks! I am trying it with leading instead of that leads, think it flows better–and thank you!