Vertical Prayer - A Brief History of West Meets East, The Quandary Of Thou & Me, Breadthlessly

[This poem prepares the essay on Father Will which follows]

Vertical Prayer

for Father Will & Pere Bleubols


Please
explain mur-
murs the
knee--

In poetry
I am
Christian

confessional

unlike
zenners
who be

unfeelingly
breathing
detached

my god

even from

Eternity

(O how
could
they)

which I
cannot
for the
dearth
of me

do

much

less

be

Thus

meditationally
I am

screwed.


Askew
the West
confused like
the rest

the East
tilts us

we it

thus
confused
they kneel

we sit.

We bow low
like Buddhas be

imitationally


Now
Easterly
they the East
O Christ
press hands
pray sing
eternity of
God's blue
throne

while I

twist turn
blank
blanch
beneath

or

upward born
not knowing
if to detach
if to burn

being born
to attach
to know
to learn

What then
is this

to be
told as
Aquinas
confessed
in the
end--

all straw

all straw

and God
the match


["God's Blue Throne", Mexico City Catedral Construction Site. Photo by Warren Falcon, August 2009]