(A Prayer) For All People of Conscience
by Nana T. Baffour-Awuah
May we all find what makes us wise
when we can’t trust our very eyes
May we be brave in fearful times
when truth is counted among crimes
May we have courage to be kind
when that may break the ties that bind
May we refuse to bend and cow
to sins our souls cannot allow
May we atone for every sin
we sanctified in bad doctrine
May we commit all that we are
to something better than we are
Nana T. Baffour-Awuah (he/him) is a Ghanaian writer and editor currently based in New York. Several publications, including African Writer, The Poetry Lighthouse, Viridine Literary, HuffPost, Hudson Valley Writers Guild, and more, have published his poems, short stories, and essays. You will also find his work in the anthologies Roots and Ruins (Arcana Poetry Press, 2025), Plant People, Vol 5 (Plant People, 2025), and Creative Stillness (Gatekeeper Press, 2026). Nana is working on his first book. Find him on Instagram at @whatnanawrote.