Flash Stories & Poetry Day 47: Prayer "A Christmas Prayer"

 

 

Hey, everyone.

So, as I've mentioned before, I prepare these in advance, especially this week and especially for this one. I had wanted to do a Christmas prayer, but only if it turned up in the spinning of the wheel, and it did, so... Today's style is... Prayer. But more than that though, it's a Christmas prayer. Not just simply for the sake of the season, but because there was a Christmas prayer I read not that long ago that I quite liked. I came across it from either Beliefnet or someone else I'm subscribed to. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it since, but I do remember being blown away by how surprisingly good it was. All the rest are sort of chintzy or mundane or predictable like. So, here's my version of a Christmas prayer. Just know, it was inspired by key lines from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. And when I say "inspired," I mean I stole them and remade them for my purposes.

Almighty God,

As the season of Thy Son falls upon us,
let us remember the spirit and purpose
of this feast:

Let us not fetter ourselves in chains,
girded by our own free will
remaining captive, bound, and double-
ironed by evanescent pursuits.

Let us not misuse our life's opportunity,
but find the vast means of our
usefulness as Christian spirits
working at Thy business of charity,
mercy, forbearance, and benevolence.

And by Thy strength and grace,
may we be better than our word
doing it all and infinitely more,
able to keep Christmas well
the whole year round. May we
be as good a people as the world
could ever know.

Amen.

***

 

Well, it's not perfect, but it's pretty good. I don't want to use the word "people" because it seems to too generic and not purpose-built enough, but most other words that I could find that might have worked, church, parish, nation, kingdom, halidom, they all seemed too specific or didn't fit the rhythm of the prayer right. Not to mention, with the mention of "Christian spirits" earlier in the prayer, it doesn't feel like "people" needs to be anymore specific than it is because "Christian spirits" pretty much answers what sort of people we should be.

 

But anyway, that's it for today. If you have the time, please check out my books for sale on Amazon which you can find through my author page. The link is below. Also, I reworked my Patreon page, so why not give it a look and consider becoming my patron. For little as a buck from everyone who reads this, I can keep writing without needing a "real job."

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

My Works:

Amazon: My Author Page, My Influencer Page
Facebook: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar
Patreon: Bryan C. Laesch
Twitter: BryanofallTrade
Youtube: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar

Flash Stories & Poetry Day 35: Prayer "In Times of Need"

 

Hey, everyone.

So, today marks the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth week that I've been doing this. I wanted to do something special for the 30th day, but it completely slipped my mind. But, I just think it's amazing that I've been doing this for as long as I have been. These posts don't get a lot of attention, but there are a bunch of them, so maybe that will make up for it. Imagine what it will be like if I ever get to a full year's worth. But for now, let's just focus on one day at time. Also, today is a poetry day, so this should be fun.

Wheel of Genres, turn, turn, turn! Tell me the genre I will discern!





Today's style is... Prayer.

That's interesting. Why? Well, because of the rough path I've been going through recently. It's really been a test of faith. And so, it's interesting to me that a few days ago when I decided I wouldn't do a second Christmas reflection, the wheel said I would. And then, that night I was thinking to myself, "You know, I'm going to be 29 in a two-and-a-half months and then 30 a year after. If I'm still up to the crackerjack sh*t then that I'm up to now, I'll stop focusing so much on my dreams and get to work on adulting." But then yesterday, I got an email from Beliefnet with an article about how you shouldn't settle. And here then today I get prayer for my poetry theme. It feels like God is trying to send me a message. I've been praying awfully hard for one, and I think I'm getting it. I'm just a little disappointed because I wanted it in a dream.

Some of you are probably wondering what the message is, and it's simply that I should keep going with this writing thing, more specifically that I should be using my gift in more religious ways like I was planning on doing. In fact, I came to that revelation back in November when I was feeling lost and confused, and it hit me quite suddenly while I was standing in line with the monstrance, which is a sort of vessel that houses the Eucharist which we Catholics believe is the actual presence, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, of Jesus Christ. And for the life of me, I couldn't look directly at the monstrance without wanting to cry; I don't know why. So... message and kick in the pants received. I think.

So, what will my prayer be about? Well, I'm still in a time of need and want, and God wants us to bring all of our problems to Him. And St. Augustine once said, "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." So, let's give it a try.

Thirty minutes on the clock: 30:00. And... go!

My Father,

The hour is dire. Here I am
in a great time of need and find
myself lost within the mire
confused by every thought and every deed.

My mind is tired, my heart weary,
and my spirit lacking. Every day and
in every way, I can feel the Devil attacking,
and I cannot live as required.

I beg of Thee, grant me rest and respite,
grant me a sign to show I'm blessed
and that Thou will never leave my side.
I beg of Thee to be my guide.

I entrust Thee with all my hopes,
needs, and wants, so I may
live undaunted to keep the Faith
and do what I must for the sake
of what is just.

Amen.

***

 

Stop the clock. 12 minutes left. Well, it's not quite what I wanted, but it gets the message across. With this one, I tried a more modern take on the writing and I tried to rhyme things as they appeared in the middle of sentences rather than at the end. I was using the poem prayer that Blessed Solanus Casey used to say. So, that as they say, is that.

 

But anyway, that's it for today. If you want to use the wheel I made, you should be able to access it here. And if you have the time, please check out my books for sale on Amazon which you can find through my author page. The link is below. Also, I reworked my Patreon page, so why not give it a look and consider becoming my patron. I would appreciate it.

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

My Works:

Amazon: My Author Page, My Influencer Page
Facebook: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar
Patreon: Bryan C. Laesch
Twitter: BryanofallTrade
Youtube: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar

Flash Stories & Poetry Day 26: Prayer "A Writer's Prayer"

 

Hey, everyone.

Sorry this is so late today. I really don't get much done on Friday and the weekend in general. I don't know why. It's just something that doesn't happen. So then, let's stop stalling and get this done.

Wheel of Genres, turn, turn, turn! Tell me the genre I will discern!





Today's topic is... Prayer!

Alright, I'll be honest; I got cinquain first, but I've already written at least one of them and they're super short. Plus, I think a prayer might go real well with the whole theme of the importance of needing to write earnestly. Other than that though, prayers are different in all sorts of ways, so when it comes to style here, I really am flying by the seat of my pants. But since this is a poetry day, perhaps I should make it rhyme.

Thirty minutes on the clock: 30:00. And... go!

By the Powers that Be, the Powers Seen and Unseen,
Grant unto me clarity of Mind and sobriety of Heart,
That I may tend to my work to perfect my Art.
Slay the Maleficarum that mean to do me Harm,
That block my Path and deprive me of Charm.

By the Powers that Be, the Powers Seen and Unseen,
Permit not my flaws to block my Way
So that I may make what I will of the Day;
Send unto me Revelations deep so I may make haste
To write the Opera chaste to wake the World from its Sleep.

For the Powers that Be, the Powers Seen and Unseen,
I give thanks in hearing my Request,
And for my Gifts which I am blessed,
Now I shall go compose my great Act,
And fulfill our venerable Pact.

***

Stop the clock! Two minutes and twenty seconds left. I know it isn't long, but that second stanza gave me issues. I still have issues with it, but I'm not sure how to fix them. If I had more time, I might be able to discover how, but right now... In general though, I think the prayer is pretty good, but I did end up using a lot of words I didn't want to use because they're too mundane. If I had the time, I could make this prayer off the hook.

 

And for those wondering, "maleficarum" means "witches", but it's derived from the two Latin words "malus" meaning "evil", and the past tense, I think, of the word "facere" meaning "to do". So the word literally translated means "evil doer". Have you ever hear of the Malleus Maleficarum, "The Hammer of Witches"? It was a Catholic treatise on how to deal with witchcraft in case you were curious. And, as I'm sure you can tell, I did mess about a little with the rhyming throughout this piece. I'm strangely okay with how that turned out.

 

But anyway, that's it for today. If you want to use the wheel I made, you should be able to access it here. And if you have the time, please check out my books for sale on Amazon which you can find through my author page. The link is below.

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

My Works:

Amazon: My Author Page, My Influencer Page
Facebook: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar
Patreon: Bryan C. Laesch
Twitter: BryanofallTrade
Youtube: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar