A Prayer to Saint Catherine
Kenneth Koch
 

If I am to be preserved from heartache
        and shyness
By Saint Catherine of Siena,
I am praying to her that she will hear my
        prayer
And treat me in every way with kindness.

I went to Siena to Saint Catherine's
        own church
(It is impossible to deny this)
To pray to her to cure me of my heartache
        and shyness,
Which she can do, because she is a
        great saint.

Other saints would regard my prayer
        as foolish.
Saint Nicolas, for example.
He would chuckle, "God helps those who
        help themselves,
Rouse yourself! Get out there and do
        something about it!"

Or Saint Joanna. She would say, "It is
        not shyness
That bothers you. It is sin.
Pray to Catherine of Siena." But that is
        what I have done.
And that is why I have come here to cure
        my heartache.

Saint Catherine of Siena,
If this song pleases you, then be good
        enough to answer the prayer it contains.
Make the person that sings this song less
        shy than that person is,
And give that person some joy in that
        person's heart.


A fine musical adaptation of this poem was made by American composer Virgil Thompson, and is performed admirably on this disc.

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