Zak’s Prayer Poem by Dónall Dempsey

Little Zak
(just a little scrap of a chap)
with a deep Barry White voice

enquires(as he enquires
about everything) :
“Why is your hair white? ”

He listens patiently to the explanation
how after a head injury
“I went white overnight! ”

Being a good
Christian child
he tells me
he will pray for me
for the “black to be back! ”

I’m very tempted
to dye it for the next day
just to prove his prayer
right.

when his fervent prayer
doesn’t turn the situation around
...he frets.

I tell him
God & me
are both happy
with it…like this.

“Really? ”
He asks.

“Really! ”
I affirm.
“Have it your own way then
but man...

It makes you look
old & grim.
I grin
tell him that I am

but that I can live with it.

*******

FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES

I have convinced
myself
I am not all that
fat

& believe it
with all my 15 stone
until a child
in class

pats my tummy.
“Ah, Sir’s gonna have a
baby! ”

Guess I’ve been
told!

*******