The Nomad’s Prayer
by Charles Haddox
The wheel is a sacred circle
to camp on by the road.
Bread over our fire,
a blanket of sheltering stars,
the laughter of strangers,
firmness of days.
To ask for quick and steady hands,
a pardon from straight-backed guards,
fruit with tender rind and heart,
life without kings or sores.
Water from the rusty tap
for washing tarnished nails.
Moon with lifted fingers,
night breeze like a brook.
To see expectant lanterns,
and our journey as a home.
Charles Haddox lives in El Paso, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border, and has family roots in both countries. He has worked in fair trade and as a grant writer and community organizer. His poems, stories, and essays have appeared in a number of journals and anthologies.
