Please sing me your thoughts about covetousness.
And truly, I would like to know.
It seems every time that I step out my door
and at every place that I go

I see thing after thing that I “need”…that I want
and most would say that it’s okay…
But is it not greed or avarice perhaps
that I windowshop people all day?

I’ve been far away from the West for awhile,
Not years, but just months now, you see.
But it feels long enough for a detox to start
— I wake face to face with my greed.

I thought to find solace at church, perhaps
but while I sing praises for Grace
I find a heart struggle to see words on the screen,
for want of the clothes in the place.

And how, I must wonder have we come so far
to think that it might just be sweet
More clothes in our closet than we’ll wear in 3 months
while others lack shoes on their feet?

Am I not still greedy — though I “don’t have much”
is it not avarice at some speed?
To long for day in, week in, and week out
so many things I’ll never need.