Believe in the unseen, have faith
By Kiyura Davis
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread...”
We prayed in silence,
Letting our lips hold in lies.
We forced our tongues to push them back and felt our throats swallow them whole.
We sang hymns and spirituals and believed in something: someone “real.”
How can you abandon the faith of your father?
Lie and scold the beliefs of your mother?
Go ahead and believe in the unknown-
Walk off the roof and trust that the angels will let you down softly.
I sat in a chair
For a 3-hour sermon; the cushion soaked with sweat as I tried to fold myself in.
A preacher shouted in tongues while a member caught the Holy ghost,
Her eyes completely white,
Her knees buckled and she collapsed, shouting, “Lord, hallelujah!”
How do I tell my mother that I don’t believe in God, but believe we were created?
That somehow, we were formed and enclosed in a casket--my ancestors return to dust.
My bones churn upon each other until they are worn down to nothing.
My rib was once his rib, but now it is my own.
My limbs are now my own.
My faith is now my own.
If God is proud of his creation, why won’t he show his face?
At church, I get homesick
I watch the clock tick while the fabric of my dress weighs me down.
When it strikes nine, I run from the ball. I leave a glass slipper,
Promising my return.
I am teaching myself trust--but my trust in you still falters.
Religion doesn’t come easy to me. It’s rough and gritty, burning against my tongue.
At nighttime, my mother waits until I bow my head.
She bows her own and gives her glory to God.
I sit there wondering if he shows pity for single parents
Because her prayers are never answered;
They never get close enough to Heaven’s ears.
Sometimes I fear dying, because if God is real, will I be forgiven?
“...forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one Amen.”
About the Author...
Kiyura is a 10th grade Creative Writer at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. She specializes in poetry but also enjoys writing personal essays. She was a spoken-word performer featured in Coffee House 2024 and Extravaganza 2025.
About the Artist...
Sol is a Junior at New World School of the Arts where they play violin. They have a passion for oil-based painting and writing, and they want to go to art school to major in Painting in the future.