I saw a Praying Mantis

I saw a praying mantis as I went about my day,

the brightest green, the coolest form

and I just had to say

 

“Please tell me of your prayer” He answered in his mantis style

“I pray my friends are happy

and they wear the biggest smile”

 

“I pray for those now hurting, filled with sadness in their heart

I pray for lonely people

who have not a place to start”

 

“I pray for all the homeless who are living on the street,

that they will find some shelter

and some food that they can eat”

 

I pray for every person living in the face of war

and hope that soon a lasting peace

is what they have in store

 

I pray for every soldier who is stationed far from home,

that they are safe and healthy

anywhere that they may roam

 

I pray for every doctor, every teacher, everywhere

and who they heal and who they teach

and that they always care

 

I pray for all the children and that there is no debate,

that each of them will learn to love

and never learn to hate

 

“I pray for anybody who is in some need of prayer”

I listened to him carefully,

so glad that he did share

 

Then thanked him for his answer for I now know this is true,

it seems that in my mind I’m praying

for the same things too

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Actually, that mantis should be praying for himself. The species practices sexual cannibalism, which means that after mating, the female bites the male's head off and then proceeds to eat his body. Hopefully those prayers will provide him with some good karma.

[willweb]

Yep, I am aware of that. But hey...inspiration comes at the strangest times. : ) Thanks so much John.

[Re-Pete]

wow. quite a prayer from an insect. they are so cool - i love seeing them - can't remember the last time. a much inspired write. bravo or should i say, "amen" ... :)

[willweb]

Either is fine with me my friend though Bravo sounds cooler. : ) Thanks so much Pete.

[AYVID N]

Forgot to mention, I loved the structure of the poem too. A very nice, three-line format that I'd love to try myself, sometime.

[willweb]

You know, the form, the three lines is just how it came out. I really didn't pay much attention to that but I am glad you liked it.

[AYVID N]

Yes, sometimes poems take their own form. I really like that.

[AYVID N]

Wow. I never thought of this before...What does the praying mantis pray for? What made God create this creature to appear this way? This was an amazing poem idea, executed simply and felt very good to read. If all of it happened as the praying mantis wants, this would be a happy world. Loved the artwork too.

[willweb]

Thank you so very much Divya. I have always been fascinated with these little creatures and have many around in the summer where I live.

[AYVID N]

We have them too but probably a different variety. Smaller and more brown. I guess it's the climate variation. It was a great read. You're most welcome, my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Isn't it baffling and sad...those insects are always praying...and we humans need to, but don't enough.
If we all had their disposition, perhaps the world would be more peaceful.
j.

[willweb]

You can say that again my friend. Thanks for stopping by

[Wondering Mind]

Wonderful write that flows naturally. Not a single stanza forced. Plus, a beautiful expression of empathy and care for other 'beings'

[willweb]

Thank you so very much. I am glad you liked it.

[FGFRANKLIN]

The only insect that can turn its head. I love the mantis. There's even a fighting style named after the creature. I read a really great crime novel about a serial killer once called Mantis by Richard La Plant. They are very efficient killers and hunters. My wife found one on our porch last summer, a female about six inches long, she was a beautiful specimen. I took some pictures of her before releasing her back into the bushes. My wife even held her which really astounded me. She generally hates bugs. I tried to get my seven year old daughter to hold her. That was a no-go. (laughing) But she was very sympathetic to the lady startled out of her home by the mowers that cut our grass, no doubt. As for the content of your poem, they're all laudable prayers and wishes, every one. But in reality, she's (it's a female in the picture) probably just anticipating her next victim. Another note: females often kill and eat males after mating. She performs the act by first biting his head off. I've cautioned my wife not to bite my head off a few times but this gal actually might do it to her mate. (laughing) It was a good read, Will. F.

[willweb]

Thanks Fabian. I know about the mantis and it probably didn't care about much of anything but it made good inspiration for the poem. : )

[William Michael Reeves]

From love to entomology. Love it! Finding a song in the body language of a bug. Profound and phunny. Cute, but cuts to the chase ... so many prayers are needed in this complicated world. You express simple truth in a unique conversation. It also brought back memories of all my years keeping exotic insects, plus a memory when I was a kid of eight. We moved out to New York where praying mantis get pretty big. I got a hold of one and it was so strong it nearly pulled me along with it! I've never forgotten that, or the hurricane that blew through that year. (1970) Thanks for the memories and good poetry.

[willweb]

Thanks my friend. What hurricane was that, I lived in New Jersey at the time. I remember it hitting and me, like an idiot outside holding old our pigeon cage but can't recall the name.

[William Michael Reeves]

I think it was Doria. 1971. Possibly Gerda in '69 but I remember I was eight or nine for that year in New York so I think Doria. I'll never forget these giant weeping willows blown over. And this bridge that looked like lasagna after it was over. We lived on Lake Lucille just north outside of the city. Cockroaches kept eating my dad's tums and my mom hated it there so we came back to Seattle.

[Chris Shaw]

Your praying mantis is my type of creepy crawlie:) What a caring little thing. This is cute will, and very nicely penned. Wonderful flow. So. So smooth. Well done.

Chris

[willweb]

Thanks so much Chris. I saw one out by my old stone pump house and started writing this in my head. He inspired me, that's for sure. I am happy you liked it.

[Chris Shaw]

I did and I wish I could get inspired as easily as you do. You can write about anything and everything:)

[willweb]

I do have to draw the line at roaches though, not sure I could write a poem about roaches. : )