The Farm Woman’s Prayer

She said, “O Lord, how sharp the edge
Feels on my skin here on the ledge –
For bankers have no give-and-take –
Just take of all the cash we make.

“The glitz is just to suck our cash,
Reduce the excess, eat our stash;
And when it’s gone, like chicken bones,
They toss us out, and seize our homes.

“For pride is what consumes us all;
It keeps us going to the mall
Until we’re done – it’s all poured out –
We lose it all – a painful route!

“Attacks are made far up the stream,
Though that’s not how to us it seems;
We get a whack and then we say,
‘Attack it came on us today’.

“The problem’s in our living well,
It opens up that door to hell;
That’s why folks get so low and mean,
Especially if they poor have been.

“Banks smell the blood, and move to close
The gap between the sheep and wolves;
Shift focus to the next in line,
For wrapping-up will come with time.

“Lord, that’s where things are at today,
My thought was just a myth – but pay
No longer comes, it’s just not there –
A mess indeed, like mist in air.

“You’re right, it was a foolish move,
Well, several’s more my point of view;
Compassion gets one in a mess,
Don’t follow there is better – yes?

“So Lord, where do we go from here?
Our road is blocked, that’s now quite clear.
I have no way of digging out;
We’re in a fix – of that, no doubt”

“ ‘So what is good?’ T. Robbins asks,
‘About this fix, and current task?’”
“I’d say it stops the whole charade,
Bids lemons turn to lemonade.

“ ‘No holding back’, ‘All in’, you say,
‘Not make-believe – as if a way
Was clear for all to walk on free –
Now’s time for prayer on bended knee’.

“I knew, O Lord, there was a risk;
That pace would shift from slow to brisk;
That by ourselves we could not go
From here to there, that much I know.

“Lord, I assumed too much, and now
This is a whack I must allow;
For all is far beyond my aid,
A mess of this our family’s made.”

How many times I’ve heard such words –
Through tears and self-reproach I’ve heard
That desperate cry from deep within –
A heart which through deep water’s been.

Which brings to mind my journey now:
How quick I lose my way somehow,
Forget the task I’m here to do,
Her prayer brings me, O Lord, to You.

Free-fall – I’m at it once again –
Just let things go despite the pain,
To find the things folks won’t admit,
Until well-bottom’s what they hit.

Take notes as down the tube I go,
Find out the parts, for then I’ll know
What’s not apparent at first,
(They only show when things are worst).

But then folks get to see what’s true,
On solid rock build life anew;
It’s happened in my life before,
That’s how I came to know the score:

First time was White Bear – “Huh? Say what?
You zigged – I’d not expected that –
Why would you go that route today?”
(The key’s in each peculiar way).

So then I pushed self to the wall,
Poured out my life, let go of all,
Until I said the “Uncle” word –
In her response key insight heard.

“Not we as Cree – Lakota we”,
Was what I heard – it let me see
What she knew well, but could not say –
(An ancient fight still on today).

The second time was in the church:
“We’re fine”, they said (while in a lurch);
Bizarre! I said, what could it mean?
This silence is not what it seems.

I rode it down, we hit the ground,
Then Albert came and looked around;
He asked, “What’s going on here, Stu?”
I shared, then asked what else he knew.

And there it was, clear as a bell –
The key was in their farming hell;
I followed through to understand
The economics of their land.

Pursuing that, I looked and learned;
Then back to role of church I turned;
When that was done You helped me see,
“You’re TCK, let others be”

That’s when I saw, “Apostle” piece,
The key to modern church release;
It took a while for me to see,
The implications there for me.

How strange that was – both times same –
When I with freeing insight came,
The ones who most could use it said,
“With these new words we’ll not be fed.”

So now with this farm-woman’s task,
Once more there’s silence when I ask;
I know with time the truth will out,
And I will see – of that no doubt.

Each time before one question – this:
“A part it seems I’ve somehow missed,
What could it be in heaven, on earth?”
The answer brought wait’s cost it’s worth.

Lord as she ventures forth next week,
Help her to hear the Word she seeks;
Take from her eyes the clouds of hate,
Then in Your presence, grace partake.

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