Holy Spirit,
Jesus, Rabbi,
Master, Friend.

Please,
burn my lips and singe my tongue,
before my mouth starts fires.
Chasten me with enough humility to take a lashing
from others, 
to look back
and lament without forgetting inconvenient details. 

Take that withering shame and animal anger
to forge within me that courage for the other:
Sister, Brother, and even stranger Strangers. 
Help me to see others, 
not as threats or rivals,
but family. 

I have always wanted to be left alone. But
it seems I’ll just rot in there. It seems
like instead I need a family
reunion.
You know I would rather just read books,
talk and then hide away.
But if you can save me, save us all from ourselves, by bringing us together,
do it.

I feel like I’m floundering, in 
over my head.
My past is regretful, our present in limbo and our future unclear. 
Give me at least some arms to hold onto
or others
to teach me how to swim.