Within its grasp
she knows this is her god,
like she knows other bats
have two wings.
She stills as it commands all
heights and depths;
she gazes at the one who reaches
down from above—
a god who vacillates between
impersonal and personal,
a provider of mealworms and singer
of mysterious calls,
a god who doesn’t always answer
when she wants,
a god who makes decrees for her
without a reason,
a god who sometimes forces
her fragile hand.
Verily, she receives
a more sure word of prophecy,
for she knows this is a god
she didn’t choose.
Poet’s Notes:
The featured image is of an evening bat at the Lubee Bat Conservancy, photographed by Jake Christensen.
For a scriptural tie-in, the phrase “more sure word of prophecy” comes from Doctrine and Covenants 131:5 and the Second Epistle of Peter 1:19.
Jake. Thank you for your continued efforts, even without a lot of feedback. I enjoy your work.
You’re welcome, charlene. Thank you for reading!