'Marco Sounds the Shofar"

 

MARCO SOUNDS THE SHOFAR

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

 

Marco bought a shofar in Galilee—

a long and spiraled Yemenite shofar

made from the horn

of a kudo antelope

 

With a deep and steady breath

Marco blows its harrowing thunder

over the Mount of Olives

the Western Wall

the Jordan River

and just about every site

we visit in holy Zion

 

trumpeting its long distinctive wail

to jolt us from our complacency—

 

Wake up!

 

Warning all hearers:

 

Prepare! Repent!

 

Wake up! Oh Sleepers—

Wake up! and follow the Lord, your God!

 

Anne brought her tambourine

from New Jersey—

It’s shaped like a Star of David

Colorful ribbons stream

from its six points

 

Like Miriam, Anne lifts it high

and dances with delight

praising Adonai with worshipful women

from all over the world

as their swirling skirts sweep the ground

It’s Shabbat, in Jerusalem

at the Western Wall

 

and I bought a tallit in Tiberius—

blue and white like the Israeli flag

with knotted fringes in the corners

to remind me God’s promises are true

 

a traditional prayer shawl

to wrap snuggly around my shoulders

like God’s loving arms

enfolding me

as I pray

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Would you like to read more of my poems?

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!" by Maude Carolan Pych, a compilation of poems about the Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, written over a span of thirty years. It is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, etc.