"Spirit of Life and of Truth"
In case we have been bucking
For a medal in virtue
And claiming humility,
So that we might
Pin the wings of an angel on our secular pious tunics;
Forgive that ludicrous pretense -
Instead, teach us to know
You cannot pin medals on real souls,
And the spirit of virtue never was made of cloth.
Let our words be something to grow on,
Acceptable in thy sight -
And we, as plain as any plain song,
Be sung
From the inside out.
Teach us how to do it - how to live
Virtuously.
That way we may learn again
How to pray.
For starters,
This time, in silence, let us try it,
To pray in our own way.
