Midnight Prayers in Chicago

Even at midnight there is light. There is noise
rising from the city like ghosts.

Here you must find your own chapter house.
There are no green mountains, no empty fields,

no place to stop and find your God
except for the ones you create yourself.

This then, is discipline. To push aside the noise
and create an empty place for your muse, to resist

the benign devils who care not for your soul,
nor anything else, who are mere activity. Organized confusion.

So build your temple. One stone at a time, one prayer, poem,
song, image at a time. Create your sanctuary for peace is to be found

anywhere you will it to be.

About this poem

I travel a lot. Mostly to cities. So to create the peace I need to function well…. well I have to work at it.

The picture was taken in Chicago (duh), and yes, about midnight.

Tom