Bring out those old prayers, the ones smoothed

and shiny in the worn places, the ones

we bring out when our hearts are full

or breaking

or fogged with the breath of our escaping hope.

Bring out the ones that proclaim “Gloria Patri in the highest!”

or simply, “You still there?”

Bring them out; we can trade them back and forth.

Here’s one that was given to me by an old sailor. He said

it came to him in a tempest, but it’s not magic,

it’s what you would say when taking your leave

from an old friend:

‘Thank you! I have loved this world you gave us.’

Photo: Clement Gerbaud, Unsplash.com