The Lord's Prayer
 flows from facile worshippers
 like TV voices
 recounting the worries of the world
 and the wonders of anti-perspirants

Lacking a congregation
since all are
praying to themselves
or to impress the rest,
God seldom has a thing to do
or anyone to listen to

Quietly he waits
to catch a man
who wants to find
but has not found
the meaning of
'Thy will be done.'
One such is worth
a thousand dissembling
'Thine be the glories'
to an idol god.

Patiently God listens
for a troubled saint
with nothing
but a sense of sin
to lean heavily
on his pew
praying 'Lord, have mercy!'
and yearning for the Kingdom
that is yet to come.

Elmer F. Suderman
20th Century