position prayer
Harvey S. Mozolak

standing by himself
beyond the colon:
God
I thank you
that I am not like others:
politicians
divorced
diseased with sexually transmitted viruses
drug dependent
addicted to the stock market
tongued with hatred
terrorist
hooked on pornographic websites
I like God
AM not like others
standing far off
linked by a series of commas
lashed eyes that cannot bear
the scrutiny of the sky’s sentence
his skin unable to hide his sin
he strikes his heart with his hand
exclaiming
God,
come like others
Jesus, humbled,
be merciful to me
comma,
a sinner
home to God
 
Lectionary 30
Luke 18. 9-14