God Have Mercy on America God Have Mercy on Me
Then, as now, my main concern was somehow not
the domino deaths of Antarctic krill
or the last remaining 60 years of topsoil,
or even, y'know,
the state of affairs in Sudan or America, but the shoplifter
swapping out sneakers from the half-price shelf.Matt, I said when I caught him crouched,
lacing up the used Reeboks behind the bicycle rack
in the furniture room. This is the third time, man,
I have to ban you for a year.
Lummi Native, homeless, and a regular
in the store, he kicked the shoes off and squeezed
back into his own pair. These are too small,
he mumbled, head down. They pinch and hurt my feet.When the genie finally oozes from his thrift store bottle,
my first thought will be for riches. Second:
the knowledge of God.
But third will be, instead of answering, Yes, I would have,
when Matt said, I'm sorry,
you'd have probably gave me them if I asked,
I would have said, I will.
