These are prayer poems by Michael R. Burch, along with a few hymns. There are also poems on the subject of God and religion—Christianity in particular.
I Pray Tonight
by Michael R. Burch
I pray tonight
the starry light
might
......
Dear symbol of peace,
Rest for a while!
Hippocrates has worn you, so did I!
Healthy saw a beauty,
And weak, hope in you.
Thee the lord of purity,
I bow for every blessing.
Thou existed time immemorial,
So shall in the future.
My lord, radiate peace!
......
Sometimes my head is in the clouds...
Other times my head is in the sand...
Sometimes my thoughts are so jumbled up...
I feel I’m sinking in some far off hinterland...
It’s hard to control my thinking...
A challenge I face every day...
It’s as if my wires are completely crossed...
The mind games that steal me away...
......
Each year, during my annual retreat at Manresa, I make a point as soon as possible to go quietly into the gate houses to commence my weekend of silent pray and reflection...
Upon my arrival, I quickly checked in and threw my backpack on my bed in Room 308, and immediately rushed down the three flight of stairs and headed towards the front entrance. I quietly entered into the gate house on the left and approached the statue of Mother Mary, when I suddenly realized I was not alone.
While obviously in the presence of The Blessed Mother, I felt the spirits of three men that I have never met before. Their names were Clark West Giffin Jr, Bruce R. Farrell and Carl Joseph Giffin.
The spirits of these gentlemen beckoned me into this solemn place of worship, and together we prayed...
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen...
I remember back in 2007 when my younger sister Madeleine was dying from cancer. I got down on my knees and I prayed as hard as I’ve ever prayed before to God. I asked God to please spare my sister. I asked Him to not let her die of this dreadful disease that was ravishing her body.
I remember praying and crying as hard as I ever had in my entire life. I remember being on the floor of my bathroom in almost a fetal position. I cried uncontrollably for what seemed like hours. I cried and I prayed. It was one of the most vulnerable times that I ever experienced.
I begged God for His mercy.
While I was praying, I came up with the idea of making a deal with God. The deal was that I would write the largest check I had ever written as a donation to the American Cancer Society if He would only let her live. I thought to myself that if I made this large monetary offering to an organization that was doing so much good for so many suffering people, that I might receive a special blessing from Him in the form of this simple request to save her life.
Madeleine died shortly there after, on June 24, 2007.
I remember exactly what I was doing on the night the call came in. I was having dinner at the Stamford Yacht Club with my friends, Danial and his wife Adrienne. I remember boasting to them, after a few double vodka martinis, that if I wanted to put in the word in the various subcommittees, that I could very easily become the commodore of the Club, even though I had never once served as a subcommittee chairman or, for that matter, never even served in any of the subcommittees.
The call came in during dinner from my Mom on my Blackberry mobile phone. Mom said to fly home in the morning.
When I hung up, I said with a straight face and calm voice that my little sister, Madeleine, had just died. Danny and Adrienne both looked at me in complete shock. I just tried as hard as I could to maintain my composure, and take a gulp of my martini. I calmly told them that she had bravely fought a valiant seven year battle and that we expected her to lose, and that I would not allow myself to be upset, as a tribute to Madeleine’s effort.
I don’t actually remember going to the airport the next morning, but I do remember my best friend, Bill, picking me up at the airport in New Orleans. I remember Bill telling me that I had to pull myself together because Madeleine had already planned her entire funeral, in advance, and I was to be speaking in front of everyone in Holy Name of Jesus Church. The funeral was a complete blur to me.
A few months earlier, I remembered asking Madeline if there was anything I could do for her to make her feel better and more comfortable. She looked me straight in the face and said “Jeff, I would be very happy if you would quit drinking.”
......
These are prayer poems by Michael R. Burch, along with a few hymns. There are also poems on the subject of God and religion—Christianity in particular.
I Pray Tonight
by Michael R. Burch
I pray tonight
the starry light
might
......
Before light’s encroaching
Beams, across wavelengths
Of glints, in between yawning
Protocols of waking,
The cocks strike a redundant
Note.
Choked by their own sensitive
Yodelling spree, muted by
Spittle of outstretched, moaning
Clouds, frayed and piqued by
......
A faint smile paints the face of a pilgrim.
Sadness remains glued to the palate
As long as the hurried meal tastes awful.
When the moon becomes stingy with its light
The rich and the poor grope.
Darkness confirms the weakness of light, when it fails
To shine through the veil of the night, bloated and
Coarse, formless and cruel.
We light our lamps to the effulgence of
Our hearts, dampened by the harsh courage of
......
Sometimes my head is in the clouds...
Other times my head is in the sand...
Sometimes my thoughts are so jumbled up...
I feel I’m sinking in some far off hinterland...
It’s hard to control my thinking...
A challenge I face every day...
It’s as if my wires are completely crossed...
The mind games that steal me away...
......
I remember back in 2007 when my younger sister Madeleine was dying from cancer. I got down on my knees and I prayed as hard as I’ve ever prayed before to God. I asked God to please spare my sister. I asked Him to not let her die of this dreadful disease that was ravishing her body.
I remember praying and crying as hard as I ever had in my entire life. I remember being on the floor of my bathroom in almost a fetal position. I cried uncontrollably for what seemed like hours. I cried and I prayed. It was one of the most vulnerable times that I ever experienced.
I begged God for His mercy.
While I was praying, I came up with the idea of making a deal with God. The deal was that I would write the largest check I had ever written as a donation to the American Cancer Society if He would only let her live. I thought to myself that if I made this large monetary offering to an organization that was doing so much good for so many suffering people, that I might receive a special blessing from Him in the form of this simple request to save her life.
Madeleine died shortly there after, on June 24, 2007.
I remember exactly what I was doing on the night the call came in. I was having dinner at the Stamford Yacht Club with my friends, Danial and his wife Adrienne. I remember boasting to them, after a few double vodka martinis, that if I wanted to put in the word in the various subcommittees, that I could very easily become the commodore of the Club, even though I had never once served as a subcommittee chairman or, for that matter, never even served in any of the subcommittees.
The call came in during dinner from my Mom on my Blackberry mobile phone. Mom said to fly home in the morning.
When I hung up, I said with a straight face and calm voice that my little sister, Madeleine, had just died. Danny and Adrienne both looked at me in complete shock. I just tried as hard as I could to maintain my composure, and take a gulp of my martini. I calmly told them that she had bravely fought a valiant seven year battle and that we expected her to lose, and that I would not allow myself to be upset, as a tribute to Madeleine’s effort.
I don’t actually remember going to the airport the next morning, but I do remember my best friend, Bill, picking me up at the airport in New Orleans. I remember Bill telling me that I had to pull myself together because Madeleine had already planned her entire funeral, in advance, and I was to be speaking in front of everyone in Holy Name of Jesus Church. The funeral was a complete blur to me.
A few months earlier, I remembered asking Madeline if there was anything I could do for her to make her feel better and more comfortable. She looked me straight in the face and said “Jeff, I would be very happy if you would quit drinking.”
......