Last Night, I Prayed for Peace
Jeric Olay
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Last night, I prayed for peace. But my prayer, I suspect,
seems inconceivably large. As I woke up, I paced for
the window. From where I stood, everything was
christened with wonted quiet. I looked at the bougain-
villea that grew on the casserole. Its half-bloomed
flowers seemed to have adored the sun’s beginning
breath. I was beguiled by their unbridled passion
to bloom in this rather rowdy world. From my window,
I could hear birdsong. I could hear the almost
coherent sound that originates from the brook. I
could hear the morning’s curated sounds. Last night,
I prayed for peace.
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Jeric Olay is a poet and teacher born in Macrohon, a small town in Southern Leyte, Philippines. His poems were published and are forthcoming in Philippines Graphic, Mekong Review, Paris Lit Up, Arkansas Tech University’s literary journal, Australia’s Quadrant, and Canada’s Queen’s Quarterly.
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