A Prayer for Mama | Teen Ink

A Prayer for Mama MAG

November 4, 2009
By CaseyLeigh PLATINUM, Moraga, California
CaseyLeigh PLATINUM, Moraga, California
31 articles 6 photos 137 comments

Favorite Quote:
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to.


i'm reading this book
about this guy named jesus
who lets starving men eat
and blind men see.

but he couldn't give back
Mama's sight.
that's how i know
his story's fiction.

it was always nine o' clock
when the church bell rang
the pastor would open the door, urge,
come in.
we'd sit.

Mama would say,
bow your head and pray
she sat there so regal, brown hair
pinned up and determined mouth
she's the one who gave me that book
about jesus and all those blind, hungry people
i wondered if i should tell her it ain't true
but i never did.

Mama went blind
in '44 she said
took a blow to the head
i wondered, if jesus were real,
could he give her sight?

but Mama died last year
there were no hospital bracelets, no good-byes.
she prayed to jesus to love her,
and he loved her enough to lead her away.
or maybe her heart was just broken.

papa still take me to church sometimes,
but not like Mama did.
his faith blurred too.

sometimes I think our faith is a bible
with running ink, its pages dripping with water.
i can't figure just what it says
or if it even true

when papa says,
bow your head and pray
sometimes i pray to saints,
but they never listen.

mostly i pray to Mama
sometimes to say i love you,
mostly to wonder whether or not
she looking at jesus.


The author's comments:
Just a piece about a boy stuggling not only with the loss of his mother, but also with his faith.

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This article has 6 comments.


on Jan. 29 2012 at 5:04 pm
CaseyLeigh PLATINUM, Moraga, California
31 articles 6 photos 137 comments

Favorite Quote:
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to.

That's always great to hear!

on Jan. 29 2012 at 4:31 pm
beautifulspirit PLATINUM, Alpharetta, Georgia
35 articles 0 photos 1398 comments

Favorite Quote:
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.<br /> --Eleanor Roosevelt

This is quite nice---reading it made my throat choke up. To put it simply, I was moved.

on Oct. 24 2010 at 9:11 am
CaseyLeigh PLATINUM, Moraga, California
31 articles 6 photos 137 comments

Favorite Quote:
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to.

Thanks, I really appreciate it :)

on Oct. 24 2010 at 9:10 am
CaseyLeigh PLATINUM, Moraga, California
31 articles 6 photos 137 comments

Favorite Quote:
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to.

Thank you so much!

on Mar. 28 2010 at 7:04 pm
Dandelion PLATINUM, Franklin, Massachusetts
20 articles 8 photos 173 comments
You captured this! Excellent job!

Bex24 BRONZE said...
on Mar. 21 2010 at 5:08 pm
Bex24 BRONZE, Toronto, Other
3 articles 21 photos 79 comments
LOVE THIS. So well-written.