Muted Hearts

8/26/2014

 

Lying mouths

pray loud prayers

pray loud lying lines

vetoed by bad behavior

twisted tongues

starved for attention

nail nice notices

in public places

lying mouths

eat limelight

like ravenous gluttons

with sweet tooth

trying to repeat

as Intercessory

Prayer Warrior of The Week

they wait upon the Lord

they lie and say

like maybe She can’t keep up

like maybe She be limping

behind them

nursing a charley horse

trying to close the distance

but She knows them not

if She did would She warn

lying mouths

praying loud prayers

their prayerful petitions

lack sufficient postage to touch heaven

loud mouths, muted hearts

hurrying to hell

 

–Yusuf Ali El (Lake County)

This poem previously appeared in the author’s O Woman, A Tapestry of Loving You.

 

Yusuf Ali El resides in Hammond, Indiana. He has authored five books since 2011. They are Raw Tears, One Room Shack, O Woman, a children’s book, Ryme Tyme, and a self empowerment manual, How To Feel Good About Yourself. Yusuf received his Masters in Language and Literature from Governors State University. He is working on two children’s books and a collection of short stories. He is available for motivational workshops and poetry performances at yusufaliel@gmail.com.

Indiana Humanities is celebrating National Poetry Month by sharing a poem from an Indiana poet every day in April (hand-selected by Indiana Poet Laureate George Kalamaras). Check in daily to see who is featured next!