~SHERMAN ALEXIE~

HOMILY

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                    “Desire is the inconvenience of its object.
                    Lourdes isn’t Lourdes if you live in Lourdes.”
                            —Don Paterson, Best Thought, Worst Thought  


How often have I walked through my front door
And forgotten to exult? Why won’t I roar
For all of the objects that I adore?
When did I stop praising the books I hoard
And the bookcases, lovingly restored?
Why do I ignore the baskets and gourds?
O, Lord, let my love for things be reborn.

Let me sanctify my shirts and coats, adorned
With feather, paint, and bead. Let me sing for
The star quilts piled on the beds and floors.
I own so much yet want for so much more.
Why do I treat my possessions with scorn?
From this day forward, let us be forewarned:
Lourdes isn’t Lourdes if you live in Lourdes.

 

© by Sherman Alexie