I pray for Ukraine,

that each blade of grass,

flowers, bees and beetles,

birds and butterflies.

–

I pray for their protection

against the avalanche

of violence and vile

destruction.

—

I pray for each small child,

girl or boy, their school,

hospital, park and their

climbing tree.

—

I pray for their safety,

in the minds, bodies,

and, cast away from families,

to be safe from harm.

—

I pray for the mothers, who

wait by the phone, men,

women, changing a job

for tanks, missiles and a gun.

–

I pray for their hearts

that they don’t break,

that the abusive powers

relent – speaking words of peace.

—

I pray for the medics, 

short of supplies,

for the vets who cannot

save bomb damaged pets.

—

I pray that they’ve

healing hands, their touch

to be as Christ, – in the absence 

of enough of everything.

—-

I pray for the governments,

choices they are making,

to save a people or

bury them in ash.

—

I pray for them to see with

a frightened child’s eyes,

to hear the cries with a

shattered mother’s heart.

—

I pray for the world powers,

to put aside their quarrels,

to open negotiations,

and work solely for peace.

—

Prayer is a voice in the wilderness,

a light in the darkness

and always on the front line

of any battle for life.