God of sickbeds and hospital rooms,God of positive tests and ventilators,Be with the loved onesOf those we have lost in the pandemicWhether they were vaccinated or notElderly or notExperiencing other illnesses and conditions or notIt does not matter now.They were loved.We loved them.Their lives were taken by a tidal wave of diseaseThey could not escape.And…
Don’t be surprised
Don’t be surprised.This is the countryYou’ve always knownExpressing its not-so-secret desires. We have a deep and abiding love ofGunsWhite peopleHierarchies.Our priorities have been consistent. We thought that ifWe boxed up the nastiest partsIn the 1960sAnd put it in the attic,Racism would recedeGeneration-by-generation.But out of the plain sight(of white people)It grew and spreadlike a poisoned gasThrough…
A blessing for those who wait
It is a season dedicated toWaitingWaiting impatientlyWaiting intentlyWaiting for something specific that life has promisedWaiting for direction that seems elusiveWaiting for justice that may never comeWaiting for peace that seems impossibleWaiting for joy to overthrow our current feelingsWaiting for sorrow to diminishWaiting for pain to lose its edgeDull itself after assaulting the bodyWaiting for loneliness…
A blessing for the queer coffee shop
God of QueernessBless this rainbow coffee shopIn this red-state townAnd all of the folksWho work here and patronize this placeIt is a rare spaceThat exudes belonging, acceptanceWith comforting drinksAnd mismatched couchesIt is the only Church of JazzOn a Sunday morningWhere all of the local misfitsCome to venerate a communal divineWho is experienced throughOur senses as…
A blessing for Sunstone
Dear God,We are here with an odd collectionOf Restoration misfitsHoused under a single roof for a weekend.We ask a blessing of low dramaThat our minds and hearts will be turnedToward listening and relationshipsToward understanding the things we don’t understandLead us to buy books and kitsch for good causes.Many who are hereAre seeking the belonging they…
A blessing for those who need the Mother
There is no blessing that I can give youTo take the pain away.I cannot offer false promises of healingI hold no magical powers to alter the universe. I do feelThat the Mother God is holding you closeThat her love for you is fierceAs the One True Badass Bitch of the UniverseShe ragesMama-Bear styleOn behalf of…
A blessing for the animals
Dear God,The blessing we are seekingIs for our companions in quarantine,For all the creatures in our lives,Our pets and the animals we encounter. God, we are grateful for the guinea pigs,Rescue dogs and shelter cats,Backyard chickens and goats,Rabbits and birds,Chameleons and snakes. God, we give thanks forThe hummingbirds who visit our neighborhoods,The ladybugs and lizards…
A blessing for doing the work
You should knowAs you are committing to doing the workThat it is never glamorousIt always comes with unexpected costsIt will probably beMuch more difficult than you expect.We want to think that the wrestle with evils in our societyIs Noble Dignified RighteousBut they often look likeWestling with our ownRacismour ownHomophobiaour ownTransphobiaour ownClassicismour ownAblism.It will make us…
A blessing for when it all hangs in the balance
For sure,The world is ending.There are fires and floodsDisaster and diseaseConfederate flags making their wayThrough halls that are supposed to be democraticAnd few are held accountable for the fallout.Our children are growing upIn conditions that we struggle to acceptAnd we are helping them in the way we know howBut it is not enough.The events of…
A blessing for those who are transitioning
God who sees,God who sees our heartsGod who knows our true selvesHold our belovedAs they embrace their courageAnd make changes in their lifeThat reveal their hidden selves.God of this seeing and knowing,Remind us thatKnowingHonoringCaring forOurselves is the greatest gift.Grant our beloved the courageTo move through the worldAnd know they are lovedThat they and others will…
The Contemplative Heretic 