Two Prayers Poem by Scott J. Shepard

'There were two sins',
Said the prayer conducive
yet elusive to the paradigm
of man carrying the world
and the world who carried him
back.

A channel runs through its
design where there is a smile to
consolidate and a frown to
understand.

That what subdues or quells
disorder may be apparent to
facing the sky or digging deep like
a man's searching for what's
underneath.

It cared to understand when or
how often it was allowed to fly and
why it was kept below the surface
for so many hours.

And then more deeply it said
'Hold up your face'

And I thought of winter covering
my hands and why the seasons had
no choice but to blossom their
ribcage.

The prayer agrees with itself and
the seasons bind to eachother,
equal parties. Complimentary,
reciprocal, forgiving.

I feel blessed for I have sinned,
but are there more to be as
fortunate as I was?

What word do I have to look up
and for the same consecration
destroy its path, dig down deep
the past to see inside you all?

But then would that not fortitude
the skeptical mountain that
turns itself inward so that
I may see myself and only me?