“A Penny For Your Thoughts – A – N’kay” [Reflections on Louise Penny Inspector Gimache books, Passim] (Luke 16:19-21)

“N’kay”, a word in Oji-Cree,
They named their dog, which all could see
Was humorous – they taught at school
On Res, I thought the name was cool!

It has a meaning apt for there,
For, “I don’t know” let kids prepare
To learn – adopting stance to learn,
So in the south they’d wages earn.

Except it did not work that way,
For northern schools proclaimed, “n’kay”
As a raison d’être for their work,
But culture-codes were quite reversed –

First, “You don’t know” was point of view
The teachers held – ’twas nothing new,
For in the way which they’d been taught,
The teacher sold, and students bought.

And value lay in what you knew
About the southern point of view;
“We’re way more civilized, you see,
Than bush-league folks can ever be.

“But don’t just learn it in your head –
Apply it in your life – instead
Of passing tests on theory, guys,
Apply it, live it – to be wise.

“N’kay’s one road to wisdom, then,
So show us that you comprehend.
The lessons of curriculum.
Or in the south your life is done.”

The golf, twixt Lazarus and Dives
Accentuates the ways our lives
Can crash and burn in world that’s rich
While power-plays construct the ditch.

Thanks Holy Spirit for this.

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