Penance or Begging Forgiveness

Preferably penance,
But neither from God
Nor an abstraction,

Such as a people.
There’s no whole people
Despite what many

Whole peoples insist.
And certainly not
From the universe,

Which has some begging
Of its own to do.
Find someone you’ve harmed,

A person you’ve harmed,
Or a few, no more
Than your eyes can take

At a glance, no more
Than could all hold you
Together at once.

Now offer penance.
Anything less is
Just us, just word dust.