Book of Queer Prayer

As a child I carried a pocket book

of Psalms with me

in my jeans: a gift from my grandparents

meant to instill in me a love of Christ

but instead instilling only a love

of onion skin pages

and leather. I lose it

in the same move I lose the memory

of my mother's voice.

from "Like Fox Mulder I want to Believe"

"Through a speaker who kisses their "inner Christ on the mouth" (Dreams) along with "anyone with lips" (Bible Study), poet Jay Orlando intertwines the tension between what one is raised with and who one discovers themselves to be, and at what end? A Book of Queer Prayer is a necessary read for anyone studying and/or struggling with identity and religion." Halsey Hyer, author of [deadname] (Anhinga Press, 2022)