National Day of Prayer Hike
Standing in the prayer circle
Hands linked
Heads bowed
I feel the familiarity of old
And the shame of hypocrisy
As I’m not a church goer anymore
Amens all around
Then head out to the trail
And there
Under a canopy
Of birch and poplar
The shame melted away
This
This is my church
Jack in the pulpit
Preaches love and beauty
Behind him
The waterfall baptistry
The choir of cardinals
And robins and sparrows
Sing to the congregation
Of trillium and trout lily
Lady slipper and iris
Teaberry and great laurel
I sit on a pew
Of a fallen oak
In communion with nature
Here
Here is where I feel
I’m in God’s house