“Biblis,” oil on canvas, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1884.
by Jessica Bell
I don’t know how to pray,
but I’ve seen them do it
on TV; kneeling by a bed
in nightgowns, hands woven
like secret friends.
What do they say
when they embrace;
fingers side by side
like crayons in a box?
I’ve seen how children whisper
to fingers held close
to chins—Can fingers speak?
Well, of course, they can
when they’re deaf,
but I can hear.
Perhaps that’s why
I don’t know how to pray.
Jessica Bell is the author of the novel String Bridge as well as two poetry collections: Twisted Velvet Chains and Fabric. She lives in Athens, Greece. In August 2012 she will host the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca.
