The Prayer of St. Elias

“Enough now, take my life,” the leathered saint,

Weary, careworn, lonely, prayed his God;

“I can no more, no better, and I faint;

Lord, be it finished, let me lie this sod

And rise no more.” He prayed his God alone,

Who woke him, ran him to the storm rent mount,

Forestalled with wind and quake and flame, then done,

Turned all his silence on the careworn saint

Who thought to be destroyed, but heard instead:

“Eli – Eli – My God – Forsaken – Me”;

And then heard, “It is finished,” from a rood

He could not name – despair turned prophecy:

“Lord, take me,” transubstantiate became
This pillar’s prayer to Him Who called his name.

(commentary on the poem on page 2)