Prayer

         (To Athena, in Tigertown)

“Lions, and Tigers, and Bears oh my!”

The Tigers don’t exist
in a future without Great Cats.

Athena, beautiful goddess
of the Edsel Ford Freeway,

we pray to you
that they will, & that

you who live in a big old
house built in 1880, with Sarah,

the greatest teenager in the world
may heed our entreaty.

Near Greektown, Casinos, what was once
J. L. Hudsons. Attended by avatars

once known as Negroes who
can’t cross the visible bridge to

the People’s Republic of CANADA.
Who stay in town on a gamble.

May you go to Tiger games where
The Green Man awaits you,

ivy bat poised to challenge Kaline,
Cash, Horton, Cobb, Gehringer, & Greenburg.

May American Gods of Jewish, Christianic & Islamist persuasion
join devotees in immense celebration

of spirit, mind, and midst there. May we
together sing

“Bless our house, our Tigers caged
or not, & remember the child

in the Green Cathedral
at Michigan & Trumbull,

where the immortals play
the great game forever.”

We bow, beseech the
Rev. Mr. Harwell to lead our prayer:

Essential deity, we worship thee
in fervent stripe & fang

& razor-sharp
talon of dream.