Church Of Bitter Prayer

Church Of Bitter Prayer
© Surazeus
2026 10 07

Trapped by sharp lethargy of innocence, 
we drift the midnight sidewalk of desire 
to find the purple haze of shocking truth 
that veils our long-healed hearts with nonchalance 
through incoherent laughter of sad faith 
that we lose our souls in the photo booth. 

Strange flower on the roadless mountain slope 
gleams in electric smile of bitter ghosts 
whose voices taste like silver light of dawn 
despite confusing absence of jasmine 
crushed by careless joy of city car tires 
that glisten in the rain of reptile faith. 

No one will ever see ghost of my being 
sitting on roof of the haunted hotel, 
because I twang decisive nerves of steel 
when death employs belligerent respect 
while driving old truck on the dusty road 
far past the last gas station of fooled hearts. 

Too lonesome for the chance to cry for real 
in performative display of victimhood, 
I sing with angels on the radio 
about the true love I left back in town 
who may wonder if I am still alive 
somewhere outside the church of bitter prayer. 

I refuse to pay the cost of wild joy 
while driving nowhere on the lost highway, 
since time cannot undo my noble deeds 
protecting women from aggressive men 
who leave me bruised and beaten on the ground 
long enough for her to fly up to Heaven. 

Though I love the land where I was born, 
and grew up running in lush river vales, 
I journey to escape liars and thieves 
who figured out how to steal all my land, 
and build another home far from my home 
that shelters children I tend with calm care. 

I hold this world together with strange words 
though the mountains of my youth call my name, 
because I scatter prayers on rancid soil 
that redesign wild spirit of my flesh 
so I become another human being 
by wearing mask of a long-forgotten god. 

Because I catch flame in the ether zone 
while soaring on fear-fueled Icarian wings, 
my words become the hex of secret truth 
that breaks hard walls in church of bitter prayer 
so we treasure our darling thoughts of hope 
and frame them with theology of growth.