Our father, who
is my neighbour? Strip bare
each body that we may see..you
burning under the empty sky...you
straining old withered arms......you
hunched against
each cold night.....you
lifting husks of children, dying.....A
blessing on this food we eat; pardon
too..We are not worthy so much as
to gather up despair
under your tables.
Give us now your
wide compassion;
for on a darker
night your son,
nkosi sikelel
Afrika, took
bread; and
did eat;
amen.
(Apartheid,
in November, 1985)
