unanswered prayer - a poem

I remember the first time 

I looked up at the sky  

Praying with a raised heartbeat

Hope in my eyes

The clouds were pink and orange

Stunning, big and bright

As I waited for a miracle 

In dazzling summer light

And it didn't come 

I was so young 

So faithful and fearful 

I clung to that faith

Sang the songs at the funeral 

I remember the last time

I looked up at the sky 

With only the tiniest hope

Enough for one more time 

The clouds were small and scattered 

The sky was simply blue 

I waited for a miracle 

I begged him to come through 

And it didn't come 

Who was I 

To question the Almighty?

Maybe no one. 

But where was he? 

I was talking with friends about prayer today, about the moment I stopped praying, at least in the way I knew how. Thinking about those moments brought this poem out of me. And as I wrote it, I noticed how similar the ending felt to the book of Job. Perhaps that is the beauty of Scripture; knowing humans have asked these questions always.