Late Night Prayer

Breathing deep
I feel the sleep
roll over
my mind and my heart

but the second
starts
to pitter
and pat
over this
and that

and soon I am onslaught
with things I can't ignore
as they rip
and strengthen their grip

and compulsively
I clean, fix and straigthen
but to what end
to help a friend?
to help myself?

Where in this lies any wealth
and as I straighten my thoughts
and fix my dress
I give to you my stress
my worries
and my fears

and You say
sweet child
and draw me near
but I am a child no longer
and each day I realize that
I grow stronger
or at least pretend
to and that my friend

is the real end

so what in this life is more real
than the dreams
that plague our hearts and our minds
of a beautiful or brilliant kind
but Lord what happens when we are left wanting
and afraid

into still waters I would normally wade
and yet
for resilience we are formed and created
this life, this path we are slated
is not for torture
but for hope
and so as I teeter
on thoughts that are not so good
what would
You direct me towards
to help me move forward
in Your perfect plan

and You say, lean not on man
so lean not indeed
but in You, we are hopeful and freed
may You constantly my heart remind
with thoughts of this kind
so that in thought and deed
Your will may I ever heed

in Your name,

amen