The Prayer of Impertinence - Poetry - Poem

National Catholic Reporter, May 24, 2002 by Kilian McDonnell

The Prayer of Impertinence

"Do not bother me. The door has already been locked.'
--Luke 11:7

   The sun had gone down
   the sky is black
   the children are in bed
   and this joker down the block
   pounds on the door.

   A friend, traveling
   at night to avoid
   the heat of day
   has arrived at midnight.
   His cupboard is bare.

   I stumble on the gall
   of impertinent neighbors,
   who tempt me to reach for
   two cobras, three scorpions,
   like Judas in the night.

   "No bread is baked
   till dawn," he pleads,
   "please, three loaves
   I ask to feed
   my tardy friend."

   I am put upon,
   hounded by raids
   on my organized buttery
   by every mangy,
   mannerless beggar.

   No, I cannot disturb
   the house at this hour.
   You want me to clatter
   down the stairs,
   rumble among the tins.

   (If I concede now
   they'll think of me
   as a depot, a Safeway
   open 24 hours;
   they'll ask on whim.)

   But the booming goes on
   like symphonic tympanies
   in the "1812 Overture,"
   rattling the wallboards.
   Has Armageddon come?

   In a varicose sort of way
   I fumble in the dark
   toward that shameless,
   cheeky bum
   assaulting my portal.

   Fort Knox could not buy
   that bread, wild horses
   could not tear those loaves from me.
   I'm not just anybody.
   I've got principles.

   But I need my rest.
   A crumb for peace.

--Fr. Kilian McDonnell Collegeville, Minn.