I No Longer Pray

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

We are grateful to Rupali Bhuva for offering this hand-made painting for this reading.

I no longer pray— 
now I drink dark chocolate 
and let the moon sing to me.

I no longer pray—
I let my ancestors dance 
through my hips
at the slightest provocation.

I no longer pray—
I go to the river
and howl my ancient pain 
into the current.

I no longer pray—
I ache, I desire,
I say “yes” to my longing.

I no longer pray as I was taught
but as the stars crawl
onto my lap like soft animals at nighttime 
and God tucks my hair behind my ears 
with the gentle fingers of her wind
and a new intimacy is uncovered in everything,
perhaps it's that I’m finally learning 
how to pray.

---

Chelan Harkin is an author, poet and mother. At the age of 21, she found herself in the save Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, and heard "Let us dance" -- which was turning point of her life.