Art in Heaven: two poems by Ron Riekki
- cmbharris
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
My grandmother taught me how to pray
right before sleep. She’d stand in the doorway—
me in the bed with my cousin who had cerebral
palsy, and the room’d be lightly painted with
shadows, and she’d have us repeat the Lord’s
Prayer out loud. Our stumbling. Giggles, how
we’d be embarrassed at our mistakes. I’d think:
who art in Heaven. How beautiful a phrase is
that? I’d think of art in Heaven. Of course,
there would be art. Such wonderful art. And
the art I loved was writing. Was words. Is.
And how that is what she would practice with
us. This poem. The recitation. How gorgeous.
And the Bible even says, “when you pray, go
into your room” and we were. This bedroom
that was so simple. Yet had such a unique
light fixture on the ceiling. Not a typical one.
But time spent on it. Art. So simple. It was
everywhere—art. Even in Heaven. Of course,
in Heaven. My God, in Heaven. Just imagine.
*
I love churches
I thought of writing a book
where I simply went to every
church in the counties where
I live. And there are a lot
of churches. All of them,
I feel, have such beauty.
I almost did that book,
but, instead, I decided to
go cover every mass shooting
in the state. We’ve had seven
mass shootings since I started
going to them in July. Seven
in five months. And one of
them was at a church. I drove
to the church. I have a card
that shows I’m a journalist.
The police allowed me to go
up to the sign for the church,
its lawn. I stared. A gunman
had shot multiple people,
ranging from ages 6 to 78.
I stared at the church.
I love churches. I stared.
A photojournalist nearby
started talking to me about
his love of God. He told me
about the heroism of what
happened inside. He didn’t
focus on the shooter. He
focused on the heroes, those
who ran back inside of
the building that the gunman
had set on fire. I thought
of a church on fire. How
opposite of light through
stained-glass windows.
I stared at the church.
I love churches. I stared
at the church.
Ron Riekki received a Pushcart Prize in 2022. Right now, he's listening to "Gregorian Chants Honor and Praise Virgin Mary | Holy Chant of the Nuns for Mary."
December 2025 issue