Hurling Prayers

Hurling prayers in every direction
hoping some will stick

like my mother tossing spaghetti
against kitchen walls
most of it falling to the floor

as the tomato sauce boiled over
and another wine bottle was empty

prayers to Eris, Osiris, Sol,
Lakshmi and Basamum
covering all the bases

prayers launched like rockets
from the comfort of my living room

windows rattling, sea lions scuttling
mothers hustling children inside

some prayers crash to earth        
others explode into fine dust
falling on fields and startled foxes

I hope a prayer or two makes it
to the ears of a merciful god
I could use a few miracles

maybe a winning lottery ticket
or neighbors who play Mozart not Metallica

but for now I am satisfied standing
by the stove, sipping wine
stirring spaghetti sauce

-

Reversal

Ghouls and ghosts under my bed
fiends with hairy teeth, phantoms
with spiked nails

Waiting to grab my feet if I dare
go down the dark hall to pee
pulling me, ripping arms and legs

My cries unheard by my mother
who makes me wash wet
sheets before going to school

Now at eighty-one
no longer scared of specters and spooks
more afraid of the light

That creeps across the room at six
light that tells me it’s time
to endure another dilated day

Where the clock gets stuck at three
a thousand miles of Sahara
to cross before supper

-

Cognitive Assessment Exam or How Many Missing Marbles

They insist, my nosy children after
I left the car running, forgot to pay PG&E
and got lost coming home from Lucky,
ending up in New Jersey

What’s the problem if I know the names
of my four or is it five grandkids,
and can follow a football game
as long as I remember which team
is the Falcons

Why take a stupid memory test
when I remember who the current president is,
his name starts a T or a P, who cares,
and of course I know what year it is
but will double check before the exam

Piece of cake to count backwards from 100 by 7’s
if I write the answers on the inside of my arm
the way I did in high school and got straight A’s
93  86  78  71  65  52  47

I have learned to suddenly cough
and nearly fall off the chair, requiring a trip
to the ladies’ where I check my phone
to see what state Chicago is in

My kids will be shocked when I ace the test
but I can’t find my keys
I don’t remember the doctor’s name
or what time I’m meant to be there
and it sure is dark in here