Prayer flags hang over our doorway,
over our table, over us.
They don’t wave far above us in the wind,
But they flicker wildly in my heart,
tabernacle candles announcing Christ’s presence,
St. Joseph votives streaming to God unceasing.
My scrawled hand, the babies’ scribbles, and our guests’ script
decorate those paper flags
and they haven’t changed since Eastertide a year ago.
The arching twine is filled with petition, praise, thanksgiving,
with begging, confidence, joy, and love,
and those flags wait, and they do not cease waiting ~
they are all unanswered, even the answered ones.
I love this poem. So thankful you wrote about those wonderful prayer flags!! That they don’t “wave far above us in the wind” is wonderful as is “they flicker wildly in my heart.” The detail of the tabernacle flames is great and works beautifully here. The different types of handwriting is nice. But the ending is superb! The prayer flags waiting “they are all unanswered, even the answered ones.” This really ends the poem powerfully and mysteriously. Bravo friend !!