Slow (#decemberpoetrychallenge)

Today I say a slow prayer
Slow enough to hold all the wounds in my mouth
My tongue peeling them in

Each breath grows my prayer

My country
Ah
My country

I slow the prayer down even more
Each letter creeping
If I hold it in my mouth long enough it will
Reach the sky sooner

Ghosts settle slowly on my shoulders
They roll my tongue back into my mouth

Swallow your prayers
They say
Turn your eyes up

No slowness of speech
Will calm the burning

Climb into the flames
Either you will sleep
Or you will soar

Either is better than
Your tongue drying in your mouth
Trying to pray hard enough
Climb into the flames

Look up