What Should I Pray For - By Anusha Wickramasinghe

Written By: Anusha Wickramasinghe

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Anusha Wickramasinghe presents "What Should I Pray For," a touching poem featured in the Poetry category of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This evocative piece invites readers to explore the complex emotions surrounding love and prayer in the face of suffering. Anusha's words resonate deeply, capturing the essence of a heart torn between hope and despair.

About the Work

"What Should I Pray For" is a poignant exploration of prayer's complexities when faced with a loved one's suffering. Through introspective and heartfelt verses, Anusha Wickramasinghe delves into the emotional turmoil of wishing for healing while grappling with the fear of prolonged pain. The poem's vivid imagery and emotional depth convey a powerful message about the nature of love, sacrifice, and the silent pleas of the heart.

What Should I Pray For

Original Submission by Anusha Wickramasinghe

What Should I Pray For?

I knelt with folded hands and an empty heart, Words lined up but refused to start.

Your name sat heavy on my tongue,

Too fragile to be spoken, too sacred to be wrong.

They say, pray for healing, so I tried that first, For a miracle strong enough to reverse the worst. To wake you, to fix you, to make you whole, To stitch back together your body and soul.

But what if “better” is not the same as before? What if healing leaves you fighting even more? What if you open your eyes to a life half-known, Trapped in a body that’s not your own?

So, do I pray for a little, when I want it all? Is partial light better than no light at all? Is it kinder to hope for a fragile gain,

If it means you’ll wake to a lifetime of pain?

Then the darkest prayer whispered its way in, The one I was scared even to begin.

The one that asks for peace, not cure,

For rest, not battles, for quiet, not war.

And I hated myself for even thinking it through, Because loving you should mean holding on to you. But loving you also means hating your pain, Watching you suffer while you can’t complain.

You lie there silent, unaware of our tears, Of the long, exhausted, trembling fears. You don’t see the nights we fall apart,

Or the hope that shatters inside the heart.

You are sleeping… but we are awake,

Carrying every breath you cannot take.

We are the ones breaking, day after day, While you remain still in your quiet away.

So, tell me, God, what should I pray?

For a miracle? For strength? For a gentler way? For you to stay, even if it’s hard and slow, Or for you to go where there’s no more “below”?

Because I don’t want to lose you, not ever, not now, But I don’t want you hurting, not here, not how. And between those two, my heart is torn in two, Not knowing which prayer is kinder to you.

So, I whisper your name and let the rest be tears, Because love has no language for this kind of fear. And if You can hear what I can’t even say, Then please… understand… what I’m trying to pray.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, celebrates the diverse voices and creative expressions of writers worldwide. This esteemed platform provides a unique opportunity for participants to share their literary talents with a global audience, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and artistic perspectives.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Anusha Wickramasinghe for sharing her moving poem, "What Should I Pray For," with us. Her participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 adds a profound layer of introspection and emotional depth to the event. We wish Anusha continued success in her poetic journey.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.