Prayer in a Time of Fire

I hear your voice in my sweetheart’s lullaby.

Let’s share the moonlight, he sings

in the waltz time melody he wrote for me.

I hear your voice in the notes of his ukulele

and the whir of hummingbird wings,

bamboo fluttering in the breeze

and the silence of the butterfly’s flight.

But in these days of smoke and ashes

my ears yearn to hear you in the rain,

falling on leaves and roof,

sliding in rivulets down the windows.

Oh, won’t you pour into the eave-guarding gutters

And gurgle through the downspouts?

With chapped lips and a dry throat

I praise you

and raise my rough and calloused hands.

You soothe us now with our own tears,

but I implore you,

sweeten my song with freshwater,

let us fall asleep to your voice in the rainfall.

Published by

Mary Camille Thomas

Mary Camille Thomas is a native of Santa Cruz, California who considers herself lucky to have returned after living internationally and on the road. She is a librarian by profession, and her poetry has appeared in The Moving Force Journal, Porter Gulch Review, and Sisters Singing. She is currently working on a novel called What Lies Buried and a collection of poems of the spirit. View all posts by Mary Camille Thomas

3 thoughts on “Prayer in a Time of Fire”

Sondra S Rohan says:

November 18, 2018 at 9:51 am

Oh Thank You, Mary, for this fervent raindance expressed in beautiful poetic language from your pure heart who understands the power of prayer.
May we hear that sound soon.

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Jean Mahoney says:

November 18, 2018 at 2:53 pm

Dear Mary,

Yes let the rains come. I am so glad you shared this wisdom and sorrow, and hope.Love, Jean

On Sun, Nov 18, 2018 at 8:32 AM The Kingdom of Enough wrote:

> Mary Camille Thomas posted: “I hear your voice in my sweetheart’s lullaby. > Let’s share the moonlight, he sings in the waltz time melody he wrote for > me. I hear your voice in the notes of the ukulele and the whir of > hummingbird wings, bamboo fluttering in the breeze ” >

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Jeanne Khoury says:

November 18, 2018 at 3:29 pm

Lovely.

Prayers for California and its people. 😪

Sent from my iPad

>

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