Fire prayer

*

The fire was to test and try him but didn't seek to kill him.

One day the Zen warrior walked into a centering prayer service in the middle of town. The people didn't know him but they didn't say anything. The leader struck a chime and the people closed their eyes all as one. Time passed silently.

One was alone but not alone. On the inhale the rich suburban air came into the belly. it was different from the air in the town next door. Safer, slightly less mixed. No taste of gunpowder.

In the warrior's belly it turned into fire.

Could the other people hear it crackling?

Was it burning only him?

Why did it make this noise? why so much noise?

Where the peace? the contemplative calm?

Could he even remain sitting in this chair?


Fire fire fire. A thing shaped like a word. Consuming the stomach, eating whatever it found there.

He exhaled it with a rough unruly noise.

Lord, find the way to make me more chaste. Just a little more chaste.

And the fire in its fiery manner said nothing in reply -- nothing clearly. It continued to burn. It and time passed simultaneously, one harrowing thing.

The warrior took another breath. Silence. Darkness.

What were the other people doing?

There was an Audenesque cough in the distance. A second one.

A car passed a million miles away, slipping through the charred space.

Darkness. Eyes closed and thus open.

What were the others doing?

Where was God in the fire -- the fire the fire?

God was the fire but was also not absent in the thing that was burning. He was patient as the warrior was not.

Another cough and then a very loud sigh. The warrior heard a sort of shifting as though somebody was moving.

Had the others climbed out of their chairs? Were they moving around?

There was motion in the inhale and then in the exhale. Something stirring.

If he opened his eyes would he find all the others crouched around his chair staring at him and wondering who let this queer into the room?

The inhale was tense and suspended and important. Insistent. The fire burned the fire.

The warrior opened his eyes. God stood in front of him watching him. There was no one else in the room. The stare was nothing but fire.

Who are you now? the vision asked. Are you indeed one of mine?

Speak to me now, instantly. Do you wish to be one of mine?

*