Seeing our Loveliness

. . . Saint Francis

put his hand on the creased forehead

of the sow, and told her in words and in touch

blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow

began remembering . . .

the long perfect loveliness of sow.

— Galway Kinnell (from “Saint Francis and the Sow”)

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 This day

O Lord

As we try so hard

To blur the image of the sacred in us

By what we say and do

As we rush

And and work our way

Into

Empty places

This day

Remind us O Lord

By your gentle touch

of the long perfect

Loveliness

you created us to be