Elmo by James Kavanaugh

Purple woven net pattern

Elmo prays not because he has faith or

Because he learned about God

At his mother’s knee or at a preacher’s elbow.

 

Elmo prays because he has tried everything else

Drinking

Screwing

Running away

Working

 

To take away the pain of being a frightened man

Which is totally unacceptable

Especially to women and most men.

 

And none of this worked very well

Till Elmo started talking

To someone

Somewhere

Who seemed to understand.

 

Now Elmo prays

Not to Jesus or Buddha

Not to a theological God or philosophical omnipotence

Not to a computerized and selective savior.

 

Just to someone

Somewhere

Who seems to understand

And likes the hell out of Elmo.

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