"Valentine's Day Prayer," a Poetry Post

Dear God,

Thank you for
not letting me
shack up with that
dude
in the city that
promised me
flowers and
candy and
cheap movie tickets.

You know I was
tempted.

You know I was
home
thinking about how
all my friends were
making reservations at
fancy restaurants and
getting flowers at
work.

You know I was
jealous when my
ace boon coons were
invited to new countries
for the weekend.

You know I was
heartbroken over
not being able to
share in others'
heartbreak.

You know I was
almost drawn into
the idea of
what love was to the
masses.

You know.

Now, look at how
things have turned,
turned,
turned.

This Valentine's Day,
love means getting up early and
going to church as a
family.

Take out Chinese and
WWF on the PS3 with the
boy.

Getting to sit at home with a
headband imprint in my afro and
in favorite cotton pants
writing poems about
how glad I am that
I didn't give in to
an image...

a mirage.

I pray that
all my sisters see
love
differently.

See love that
sits beside them
at the hospital when they are down and out.

'Cause a sister is gone get sick.

See love that will
help them
ease down into a bath
when they've
been on their feet all day.

'Cause a sister is gone get tired.

See love that is
looking for them to be
okay,
looking for them to
come home,
looking for them
period.

'Cause a sister is gone be held up
sometimes.

And dear God,
help them to see love in You,
without which
NOBODY
can survive a Valentine
in this life.

'Cause a sister gets tired of
unconditional like the
seasons change on
favorite pairs of shoes.

Dear God,

Help us to be real with each other,
in love,
on this holiday.

Sincerely,

Your daughter,
the difficult one.

-T. D. James-Moss