If You Think that Your Prayers

​If you think that your prayers
Changed God’s mind,
Good luck with that!
You’ve been wined and dined

On snails and worms.
Or if you think
That they only changed you,
And impressed their fresh ink

On your forehead
(Or even your heart)
Then you’ve bound it to science
And made it less than art.

When you pray and
Change yourself (for the better)
(We hope), then the universe
(To the letter)

Gets better to you
Too. It’s impressed by
You. Especially your 
Spirit, which rises high

And embraces all things
From east to west,
The Milky Way flows
And the children are blessed.