A Countdown in Poems to the Irish Arts Center PoetryFest

Poem #11: Dear God, by Alicia Ostriker

For the next two days Literary Hub will help in counting down the days until the seventh-annual Irish Arts Center PoetryFest begins by publishing a poem, as selected by festival co-curator Belinda McKeon. 

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Dear God, by Alicia Ostriker

 

It used to be

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I would fall to the floor and press my forehead to it

in moments of despair

 

I would say help me

help me

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but listen

I am ok

though I just now found myself pressing my forehead

to the carpet of my stairs

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about the waters in the flooded cities

poisoned by oil spills, chemicals, the dead

about the survivors forever traumatized

dear god

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I am alive I am alive

help them

 

Literary Hub is a proud sponsor of Irish Arts Center PoetryFest.

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