A woman in an attitude of prayer. Photo: By Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash.
Poem: Perfect prayer
'I tried...'
by Poonam Jain
3rd January 2025
I tried
to draw into myself,
make a still inner space
stealing glances at two others
near me in the tiny chapel
one trying to rustle up piety
through mumbling of hymns
the other lulling herself into devotion
through careful arrangement
of candles and incense
all distracted
failing in some intent
finally succumbing
to whispering
about the everyday
an elderly father
a growing business
a new boss
a daughter’s ambition
a son’s dejection
you might have watched
our drawing into each other
and thought us
a kind of prayer
a kind of perfection.
