I Pray
By AL
I pray for the strength to endure tough times, while seeking inner peace.
I meditate using my 3rd eye, to soothe the inner beast.
I pray that Maat weighs in my favor, for all the good I’ve done.
I pray that karma will forgive me, and not prey upon my son.
I pray that when I take my last breath and my heart beats no more.
I pray I lived for a cause, that was worth dying for.
For what joy comes from a life that is hard to grasp, as if reaching for the wind?
So I pray that if I don’t get it right the first time, I can do it all over again!
32 Comments
Leave a Comment
The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.
Hi AL, Thanks for writing this poem and sharing it with the world! I think the list-like structure of “I pray” works well and is powerful. I particularly love these lines: “I pray that karma will forgive me, and not prey upon my son.” and “For what joy comes from a life that is hard to grasp, as if reaching for the wind?” Beautiful language here.
I think your poem could gain a lot more power if you could be more specific. The less generic the language, the more impact a poem has, I feel. The line “…and not prey upon my son” is strong because of the mention of “my son.” It makes it personal and shows the reader exactly what’s at stake. You might explore this through writing examples of what tough times you need the strength for, or something specific about the peace you’re seeking. You can show the reader an example of the good you’ve done, and what cause you want to have lived for.
I have a question about these lines:
“I pray that when I take my last breath and my heart beats no more. /I pray I lived for a cause, that was worth dying for./ For what joy comes from a life that is hard to grasp, as if reaching for the wind?”
Did you mean for them to run together? If so, you can change the two periods to commas. If not, please complete your thoughts about what you’d like to have happen when you take your last breath, etc.
Thanks again for writing and sharing this poem! Keep writing!
Hi AL,
What an inspiring poem. Shows a deep belief in the power of prayer, prayer as universal love.
Thank you for sharing.
Sending love, Ann
Your poem gives insight on your grief and what might want to come next for you. It shows your hope. It gives a deep meaning to how you are feeling and I love the metaphors you use to describe it. You really put your heart into this and it shows. Keep sharing how you feel so many people relate to how you are feeling on different levels.
I love this, AL. Faith is really important and I love the sentiment it holds for you because I can see its embodiment in your poem. Keep being faithful and I hope you get all that you’ve been praying for! Amazing writing overall and I look forward to reading more of your work!
Hi!
I enjoyed reading your poem. I love the line “I pray that karma will forgive me, and not prey upon my son”, this was an incredible use of the homophone pray and prey. I also like how you asked a question, but ended with an assertive and enthusiastic statement. Overall this is great!
Prayers are always answered, and redemptions will always be given. As long as we hold onto hope and goodwill, and know love and know how to love, we will have the strength and peace and the confidence we need. We all have purposes in life, and we all find that purpose in different places including in our families. I always want good things to happen in my life, and in other people’s life. And when you wish something sincerely to happen, it will come true.
Dear AL, I really like the deep power and energy you packed into this concise, tight poem. You also helped me learn about the goddess Maat. In reading about her, I read that she maintains the balance of the universe. My fondest hope in this moment is that your son will have the opportunity to make a beautiful life for himself. I also hope for you that in this life or the next, you get the chance to create everything you desire for yourself. Sending vibes of peace.
Your prayer is a heartfelt reflection on the human experience, touching on themes of resilience, spirituality, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. It’s a testament to the universal desire for inner peace, righteousness, and the hope for a purpose worth living and, eventually, dying for. Your words beautifully encapsulate the essence of the human spirit’s enduring quest for meaning and fulfillment.
This piece was a really deep one. You are not only talking about yourself, but you are also praying for forgiveness and strength for others you care about. Relying on yourself in such a hard time can be a lot on the person. Expressing feelings like saying “inner peace” really spoke to me while reading.
I love that you are praying for someone other than yourself! It’s beautiful that you believe in a higher power; it helps a lot in times when you are seeking hope, and it is hard to find! I struggled to understand the part where you talked about taking your last breath and your heart beating no more, maybe it was just a grammatical error, but I’m sure it has great meaning and speaks volumes. I hope to soon read more of your poems. Keep up the great work, you have a great gift!
AL,
Your poem is brilliantly written and well paced. I really enjoyed the themes of self reflection, and a desire to seek inner peace in an adverse situation. I believe this poem is a reflection of your craving for personal growth and self improvement.
Keeping a positive mind and spirit is important. The use of word choice could have been more inclusive. I really wanted more descriptive words but the idea of the poem was there and I got the overall picture.
I know that one day you will get to try this life thing all over again. Justice serves the people who are deserving, and I believe you are deserving and a very valuable person. I hope one day you and your son are able to reconnect with each other. What you are doing to cope is an excellent mechanism as it allows you to calm yourself and seek your inner peace. Keep going!
When you said “I pray that karma will forgive me, and not prey upon my son.” it spoke volumes about how you care for your children and take accountability for your actions. I don’t know if you follow a religion but you can ignore it if you don’t, however I want you to know God is listening. He has watched you at your worst and has not turned his back on you, although it might feel like it at times. Everything does happen for a reason as corny as it sounds. I resonate with “I pray I lived for a cause, that was worth dying for.” We all want this to be worth it. All the pain and suffering, we all want it to be worth the time. No one is perfect, you along with everyone else in this world has done something bad but it does not define you.
This poem shows the hope the author has. Even while going through hard times, they’re still praying and they’re still taking the time to realize the good things they do have and all there is to be thankful for. It’s an inspirational piece because you get to see all that you have to be thankful for, and that God will guide you through whatever hard time you’re in. It’s a beautifully written poem, and the author shows a lot of emotion and vulnerability throughout the piece.
Thank you for sharing your heart with your poetry.
It beautifully illustrates how the act of prayer can be a source of comfort, guidance, and resilience in the face of adversity. The poem’s portrayal of the transformative power of prayer encourages us to seek hope and support in our spiritual beliefs, highlighting the potential for healing and growth in our most trying moments.
This is so calming and fulfilling. It is all so true! Keep up the good work.
I think you have a wonderful poem here. The repetition of “I pray” really adds a powerful emotional impact. Your work here is very honest and relatable. A lot of the time the only power we have is to hope and pray. There is alot of personality and honesty in that poem which makes it so endearing and emotional. I hope to read more of your work!
The hope you are holding onto is so powerful. I love that you talk about how failure is inevitable and it is okay to fail because you will have the chance to try again. This is so important and I love that you recognize that. You bring to light some of the difficulties you have faced and how you’ve pushed through. Keep writing!
What a beautifully written poem. It isn’t very long but it catches your attention right away. It makes the reader feel a certain type of way and has a great theme to it. Don’t take your life on this earth for granted. No matter how good or bad your life may be just live it as God would want you to. Yet, we do make mistakes but sometimes we hope that we take advantage of our second chances. That is what I got from your poem and I just love how positive you are! You did a great job!
Thank you for writing this poem, it was very inspirational. Your positivity is very enlightening and I needed that! I love how you talk about how it is okay to fail because you will have the opportunity to try again. Life is definitely all about trial and error and you expressed that perfectly. Keep up the good writing!
This piece rings with so much hope and determination. The repetitive structure with “I pray…” really helps add to this hopeful feeling you are trying to portray! It is absolutely beautiful that you’re able to write something so profound regarding your circumstances. I never see much representation outside Christianity when it comes to prayers and religion, so this was a lovely breath of fresh air. Thank you for sharing this lovely piece.
This is so inspiring. I respect how empathetic you are to everyone in your life as well as how hopeful you are for the future. This warms my heart. It shows your strength and persistence, two huge character traits that are so admirable. Good work!
Hope is really powerful in your poem. Failure is inevitable as you’ve wrote in your poem but you also mentioned there will be moments to fix and improve the issue. Great poem, felt a connection to the writing and felt inspired to improve my own mistakes!
AL I really loved this poem. It is so important to keep a positive attitude when going through difficult situations and I am glad you are doing so. I love the simplicity of this poem, but also the power it has. Expressing yourself in this way is so healthy, keep up the good work!
I enjoyed reading this poem so much because it felt so full of hope. I felt at peace reading it knowing that I could always hold onto hope. I might not get things right now but I HOPE that I get the opportunity to learn and try again. Thank you for this, this comes to me during a tough time of my own and boosted my spirits so again thank you for sharing your creativity.
This is such a calming piece of art. Prayer changes everything, I am a living witness.
Hi AL,
Thanks for sharing! I find that peace and joy to be elusive when tether to our limited ability to see the scope of existence. As you say, like catching the wind. I pray that as I work through the lessons of this lifetime, I stand forever in the light of the spirit that gives feeling to all things and does not want.
Fondly,
EZ
AL, I find it really heartwarming that you find a positive approach to making it through your tough times. I believe karma will redeem us all of our good times, rather than prey on us for our bad. We all make mistakes in life, and although some are bigger than others, God died for all sins, making each and every one forgivable. I love the line where you talk about living for a cause, and I truly beleive every single person on Earth does, as we were all put here for a reason. Keeping faith in tough times can be very hard, but will be worth it in the end.
This poem is filled with such deep reflection and a sense of inner struggle. The way you speak about praying for strength, inner peace, and balance—especially invoking Maat, the Egyptian goddess of truth and justice—adds a layer of spiritual depth. “I pray that karma will forgive me, and not prey upon my son” really resonates, showing that you’re not just seeking peace for yourself, but for your loved ones too. The line “I pray I lived for a cause, that was worth dying for” is so powerful—it speaks to the desire to live a meaningful life, one that has purpose beyond the daily grind. I also love how you express the uncertainty of life with “For what joy comes from a life that is hard to grasp, as if reaching for the wind?” It speaks to the fragility and complexity of existence. The ending, with the hope for a second chance if things don’t go right, carries such a powerful message of resilience and the possibility of redemption. Keep writing—your reflections on life, faith, and purpose are inspiring.
Your poem is deeply moving and reflective. It beautifully expresses the desire for strength, peace, and justice. The imagery of using the third eye to find inner calm and the hope for favorable karma and meaningful existence resonates strongly. The idea of living for a cause worth dying for and the hope for a second chance is truly profound. Your words are a powerful reminder of the importance of purpose and resilience in life.