A Prayer Before Waking

Christmas Morning, 1997

Thank you lord for my wind-up heart two billion beats from most models no guarantees Definitely no returns

Thank you lord for my ration of blood eight pints that drive and join us the inland sea that laps upon our bodies’ beaches Our humanity is a coast we should explore

Thank you for winter days at the seaside

Thank you lord for one more day another ragged line of heartprints on the sand my drunkard’s walk towards you or away

Thank you lord for looking out for me drunk with flesh obstinately asleep for littering my path with obstacles any one of which might wake me up

Beat by beat I doze in the drowned boat of my flesh dreaming and drifting

Oh lord let something in my path

awaken me