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<\/a>hallow hope<\/a><\/blockquote>
Bored with the rosary beads<\/p>\n
and anxiety of agendas<\/p>\n
I gaze up from the corner chapel in my<\/p>\n
9th floor imaginary tree house home.<\/p>\n
My blurred vision moves from the cross to the obnoxious glow of the golden arches and<\/p>\n
hallows the hope<\/p>\n
that once was fire<\/p>\n
warming my heart over the violent city.<\/p>\n
Yet, I still seek to<\/p>\n
drop<\/p>\n
prayers of hope, faith, love, healing<\/p>\n
like ironic bombs and blast the gang violence and super BOGO sales into garden compost piles.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was in jail yesterday scammed with truth that sent seizures of confusion down my spine.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Prayer transforms into an awkward move:<\/p>\n
tripping over my own feet- because celibacy is sometimes solo- I bruise as I dance<\/p>\n
through the constant clashing hymn<\/p>\n
“trust in the Lord with all your heart” and “give glory to God.”<\/p>\n
I listen and I remember<\/p>\n
the song offered harmony and grace before.<\/p>\n
Today it hurts my ears.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The pacifist dreams are a war within.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sob over (non-organic) coffee-stained non-profit grants<\/p>\n
and realize the stench of hope is stale<\/p>\n
because I am learning<\/p>\n
the truth transpires and collides with the desire<\/p>\n
to believe, bless, and be<\/p>\n
loving presence around a cluttered holy supper table carved with “never simple, never clear.”<\/p>\n
I yelp; my flesh bubbles, burned by the flame which jumped out of<\/p>\n
the Sacred Heart pillar prayer candle.<\/p>\n
As I cringe with “ew,” my spirit mysteriously stills and hears a hopeful Spirit whisper:<\/p>\n
my body hurts.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was in Kindergarten yesterday and I climbed over fences and sung happy made-up songs.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laughing, I turn up the volume on the alleluia chorus<\/p>\n
of “be not afraid” and “I am with you”<\/p>\n
and let the hallow, hurting hope guide me back home to “Here I AM.”<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a>hallow hope<\/a><\/blockquote>