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Published on September 14, 2006 By Buddah Moskowitz In Poetry
My Christian friend tells me
not to worry because
there are already so many
Christians praying for me

thanks
I’ll take all the help I can get

and I look at the
Little Blonde Talking Monkey
who calls me Pop-o
and answer her as honestly
as I know

“well, the men who flew the planes
into the World Trade Center
thought they were doing
the right thing by God
but they were very misguided”

but were they bad?

“I don’t know – they did a horrible thing
but I don’t know”

as she hunkers down
all 54 pounds and haystack hair
in front of her bowl of Magic Stars
I try not to think of
all the primrose paths out there
lined with fool’s gold
beckoning to her
and I pray she thinks twice
before doing anything and everything

and I pray for the terrorists
because they know not
what they’ve done
and I’m sure someone somewhere
misses them
and what if they’re wrong about heaven

and I pray for the ones left behind
that can they forgive themselves
for not holding that one kiss a little longer
with their dearly departed
I pray that they can continue
this glorious and messy pageant of life

and I pray for the ticketing agent
I saw on CNN who didn’t trust
his intuition and let Mohammed Atta
onto the plane - -
I pray that you are not tortured by
guilt over something you didn’t do

and I pray for George W.
that he finds a Bible
with a translation of
Exodus 20:13
that he can finally understand

and I pray for Osama Bin Laden
and I pray for Hezbollah
and I pray for the Israeli Defense Forces
and I pray for the American troops
and I pray for everyone who counts on
Heaven

I pray for them all

father forgive them
for they know not what they do
and they keep on doing it

“were they bad, honey?
I guess we’re all bad
in some ways,
so say a prayer for them.”

so you can call me Un-American
or unpatriotic or a pacifist
or a traitor or a Jew bastard

that’s okay

I pray for you too


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Comments
on Sep 14, 2006
All sin is done in sleep and un-awareness, I believe, as the aware and awake person cannot sin.

You have reminded me to keep working on that.
on Sep 14, 2006
[smiling] Ah, so true. Thanks for the comment.
on Sep 14, 2006
to be able to pray for someone that behaves in a manner that is not in keeping with your own ideals is a wonderful thing buddah.

Part of recovery for me is to pray for those I despise. Sometimes it is not possible for me to do so.
on Sep 14, 2006
Part of recovery for me is to pray for those I despise. Sometimes it is not possible for me to do so.


and so I will add you to my prayers as well. Thanks for reading and commenting.
on Sep 14, 2006
Aw Mr. Moskowitz, I don't think you're any of the things you say. You're a compassionate person, that you are. You feel things deeply, that you do. That's why we relate so well. I liked it. It's great to forgive, even when it's hard to do so. Thanks for the reminder. This was beautiful by the way.