Jerusalem Blessing in a Palestinian New Year
By Genevieve Cora Fraser
Baptized in Jerusalem
Sprinkled with Holy Water
From a Holy Land
Inundated by torrential rain
Spilling blessings
Dripped through a plastic tarp
Braced with wooden cross
Beams overhanging
An aged grape vine
Spread over a garden
Cafe warmed
By gas flame heaters
Breath and body
Heat, patrons' chatter
Laughter, argeela smoke
And wine euphoric
The rain falls in sheets
Scouring
Cleansing
In preparation
For New Year Blessings
Bought by martyrs'
Blood Arafat's
Passing
A lasting legacy
An election promises
A fresh start
To old dreams
A new day
In a new year
Blessed
In this tiny Palestinian
Paradise sanctuary Jerusalem
Washed in tears
In blood in memories
Sacred to Arabs, Jews
Christians, Islamic
Prayer spills
Like rain
From pathways
Doorways cavernous
Market stalls
Ripe with produce
Clothing, jewelry
Cell phones
Clothes teaming
Humanity
Arabic, Hebrew
English, French
Russian, Dutch
Languages as plentiful
As the Tower of Babble
Blessed are the stones
Grimy with pilgrim feet
And trade dirt
From whence we
Come we go
Aching humanity
Plying and praying
Playing at life
Washed in the Blood
Of the Lamb
Wet with sweat
Cleansed in torrential
Outpourings
From a heaven
Bursting with Love
For the cursed
And confused
The militant
The messianic
The meek seeking
Their inheritance
Hearts worn
As the stones
Beneath breathing
Life from death
From the eternal
Blessed
Being
Sacred
As commandments
That guide us
Through the Via Dolorossa
The agony and passion
Of upholding the dignity
Of life despite the darkness
That would swallow us whole
Except for living in Faith
As the world waits
Hearts dwell
In the House
Of the Lord
In Jerusalem
In kindness
In charity
Is found Peace
Hope for a Happy
And Blessed New Year
Radiating throughout the World
Shining its way back
To Bethlehem's
New beginning