to a chinese nun wearing lavender shoes

Sch. Weng Bava, SJ

Sister, I heard you weeping--
Early one morning
Inside the Della Strada,
And thought you needed the chapel--
All by yourself

So I left you alone
Wondering why and what and for whom
Were you crying your heart out loud
I did not know you nor even saw your face

But saw your lavender shoes
It made me smile

And later in the day
I saw you by the roots
Of the old Banyan tree
You were laughing yourself out
As if no one saw you
As if you didn't care

Your hair beckoned in the wind
As you took two dangling roots
And swung your troubles away

Laughing
Like a mute hyena
Your patent lavender shoes
Kissing
The freshly mowed grass