Morning Prayer

March 13, 2025

Lauds

And is this prayer?
Just this, the shade rolled up
above smudged window panes,
two unmatched candles on the sill,
a vase of store-bought mums
a bright offering?
Outside, the sun seeps
into the faded gray sky
before it brushes it
with the rose and saffron
of another new beginning.
A curtain of still-naked trees
prepares to bud forth
in faithful hope.

Can this be prayer?
Doing nothing, saying nothing,
sacrificing nothing but my gaze
while Presence envelops me
like fine sea mist
that waters the woods,
my breath returning
home
like vapor?

*Lauds is the Latin term for morning prayer, usually held at 6 a.m.

Blessings ~ Rosemary