"Poems, Prayers, & Promises" #17

Featuring Lucille Clifton, Maja Łagowska, and Stanisław Moniuszko School of Music Orchestra

Aug 23, 2023

Welcome to another day of “Poems, Prayers, & Promises”

Remember, you’re the co-creator of this dive. Do as much or as little as you’d like, when you’d like, how you’d like, with the materials I provide. Just keep gentle faith with yourself.

Set your intention

Take a moment to name the primary intention you have for this month-long deep dive and/or this particular session. Take a quiet moment to center yourself in that intention.

Enter the music

Read the poem

I invite you to read this poem twice—aloud, at least once. You may also listen to my reading of the poem, perhaps with your eyes closed.

1×

0:00

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PRAYER
Lucille Clifton

lighten up

why is your hand
so heavy
on just poor
me?

answer

this is the stuff
i made the heroes
out of
all the saints
and prophets and things
had to come by
this


(from The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton, 2000)

Contemplate/Create

Use any of these questions however you wish—e.g., as openings for meditation or prayer, as prompts for journaling or poetry-writing, as sparks for drawing or painting, as catalysts for change-making . . . You may also ignore my questions altogether to go off in other directions!

This is a dialogue prayer-poem, a sacred conversation written in ordinary (if poetic) language. When you read it, whom do you imagine as the speakers?
“This is the stuff”: give content to this line. What is the “stuff” that not just “heroes” and “saints” and “prophets” but “all . . . things” are made of?
Have you ever asked the divine (by whatever name) to “lighten up”?
How would you express the general message of this prayer-poem? What do you think/feel about this message?
Where, if at all, do you find hope in this poem?
In your prayer life, do you often wrestle with the question “Why?” Especially, perhaps, in relation to suffering? The (un)fairness of life?
If you were to pray one question right now, what would it be?
Does your consideration of this poem move you to make any kind of promise to yourself or someone else?

Want to visit with other Rafters in the Deep Dive?

Here are two options: either leave a comment on this post using the button, or join the chat thread dedicated to this Deep Dive. (Note: if you haven’t created a Substack profile yet, you’ll be asked to do so before you can comment or chat.)

Join us on September 5 for “Rafter Refuge”!

6:30-8:00PM Central (7:30 ET, 5:30 MT, 4:30 PT)

Let’s close this Deep Dive with a time of sharing. Come and reflect with other Rafters on “Poems, Prayers, & Promises.” Registration is required for this celebration.