A prayer

Oh Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to the world,
Hear me! I come to you as one of your many children.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.
May I walk in beauty.
Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things that you have made,
And my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may know the things
That you have taught your children--
The lessons that you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong, not to be superior to my brothers,
but to be able to fight my greatest enemy: myself.
Make me ever ready to come to you with straight eyes,
so that When life fades as the faded sunset
My spirit will come to you without shame.

-John Yellow Lark