More from the book Prayers from the Ark, published in the same volume as the other collection of animal prayers by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, The Creatures’ Choir. The prayer-poems were translated from the original French by Rumer Godden.
We’ve already had The Prayer of the Little Ducks and Noah’s Prayer.
And now...
The Prayer of the Dog
Lord,
I keep watch!
If I am not here
who will guard their house?
Watch over their sheep?
Be faithful?
No one but You and I
understands
what faithfulness is.
They call me, "Good dog! Nice dog!"
Words...
I take their pats
and the old bones they throw me
and I seem pleased.
They really believe they make be happy.
I take kicks too
when they come my way.
None of that matters.
I keep watch!
Lord,
do not let me die
until, for them,
all danger is driven away.
*********************** Amen
The Prayer of the Cat
Lord,
I am the cat.
It is not, exactly, that I have something to ask of You!
No –
I ask nothing of anyone–
but,
if You have by some chance, in some celestial barn,
a little white mouse,
or a saucer of milk,
I know someone who would relish them.
Wouldn’t You like someday
to put a curse on the whole race of dogs?
If so I should say,
*****************Amen
The Prayer of the Mouse
I am so little and grey,
dear God,
how can You keep me in mind?
Always spied upon,
always chased.
Nobody ever gives me anything,
and I nibble meagrely at life.
Why do they reproach me with being a mouse?
Who made me but You?
I only ask to stay hidden.
Give me my hunger’s pittance
safe from the claws
of that devil with green eyes.
***************************Amen
1 comment:
Lovely!
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