Create Us Anew, O God

Create us anew O God.
Create us not novel but new.

From the remainders of our dreams
create a new hope O God
From the ashes of our failures
create a new spirit O God
From the castoffs of our words
create a new song O God
From the crutches of our lives
create a new dance O God
From the leftovers of our loves
create a new heart O God
From the pieces of our lives
recreate us O God

Hover over our darkness and depths.
Create us once again
as on the first day of creation.

This poem appeared in Mary Jo Leddy’s book Radical Gratitude, published by Orbis Books in 2002. Used here with the author’s permission.