forgive my shirk

grant me oh the nameless

Name

unlimited forgiveness

and overwhelming grace

when i in my nasty arrogance

in foolish forgetfulness

while breaking and smashing

idols of clay, silver and gold

tearing into pieces

icons on printed-paper

or painted canvas

molded through extreme care

and drawn with patience so rare

employing artistic mind

with untiring hand

concurrently retain in the bosom

of my petty being

the silly pride of my race, learning

and other worthless achievement

in such way covetously

ridiculing the tribe, tradition

and other earnings

of my numerous neighbors

considering silently

my puny self, more important

than those who live

and toil around me

entertaining and persisting

in that surest shirk

the groundless superstition

that the sweetest sound

surely, is my own name

henry victor     18.01.1995