for Minet

I wanted to ignite a prayer at Sunday church,
seek a blessing for your safe return, for our reunion
to get here quickly and happily but discovered
every tea light and votive candle already burning
with someone else’s need.
Whose prayer would I extinguish for the sake of my own?
Whose desire snuffed out?
I touched the lighting stick to a flame,
lifted it as high as my arm could reach
and then blew the fire to embers and watched
smoke ascend with my heart.