Prayer Breathes

Every body prays with  lungs
to live,
takes in the breath of air,
releases it spent
with exhalations of elemental gratefulness,
oxygen into the blood,
subliminal drums
beating, pulsing,
feeding muscle and bone
in rhythms of thanksgiving,
another moment of being.

Fractured and at war with ourselves,
we struggle to live
without internal unity,

until the moment,
if it comes,
body soul and spirit agree,
sing as one choir with the lungs.

Then chant them,
even after flesh is gone,
breathing prayers,
breathing prayers.