A modern handpainted sedar plate, with a rather abstract olive tree in the center, & the word for Passover, stating Pesach written in the center, in Hebrew with the lettering going from right to left.
A simple yet beautiful traditional talis hanging to the right side of the window. The blue stripes on the talis, or prayer shawl as it is translated, is composed of the design as per the instructions from the Torah. The Torah which is scrolled & is in five books of parchment, was given to Moses, on Mt. Sinai as told to Moses by God, during the time of this great Exodus. The talis shown here was photographed at the Peace Abbey, where there is a space set aside with a display honoring all the known religions of the world.
Jewish holidays are customarily celebrated with a blessing over a cup of wine, & those of us from way back when, we often remember those early years of "Man o man a schiewitz what a wine"!
In Remembrance of Our Having Gone Out of Egypt-
To our families, present, & future friends, our thoughts & wishes are of these-
May all your cups of wine be sweet
And all your matozs crunch to eat
May all our roots and branches know
That families know, what is to know
That horseradish, is strong for some
And salted tears, it is no fun
But when it's said, and when it's done
A macaroon can sure be fun
So sit, recline, and sing of goats
And find that matzo where it pokes
And know Elijah comes to view
He's of the wind, our only clue
Our youngest asks of questions four
As we explain the plagues and more
For this we've done, generations past
The old, the young, our mutual cast
We love this time, though much is work
Will think it through with added hope
Oh yes it happened long ago
But then is now, and now is so...
Wishing everyone a good Pesach!
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It has certainly been a while since writing a poem, the one enclosed this evening is a rather light one, though it is of a serious topic, as remembering one's freedom is always rather serious, yet a happy & celebratory time too. This year's first night of Passover is Monday April 18th.
Enjoy, enjoy- may it be good, & may it be fun, & if you're a gal, you'll definitely get this one-
"definitely, don't work too hard", remember we're "out of Egypt" !
This concludes tonight's addition to the ongoing Poetry A Muse In Motion Project.
Please feel free to share this link http://thepeacegarden.blogspot.com/
© Mother Lightning of Mother Lightning's Peace Garden
5 comments:
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you so much for sharing some of the rich history of Passover. It's so important for us to work towards understanding and respecting our diverse spiritual lives, and to take a moment to give thanks and praises. Too often great harm is done in the name of "religion" -- yet, I think, at the heart of all spirituality is the desire to love and share and be humble before powers greater than ourselves, however an individual chooses to define or acknowledge those powers. It is indeed all about ONE LOVE. Bless up, Cher. Bless up. Shalom!
....I had trouble posting it, so I think I ended up publishing it 3 times! What a knucklehead! :)
Hi Johnnie,
Thank u* so very much for your in depth comment. I agree w/ all that u* shared, as I view the faith that I was raised in, in childhood as a basis for understanding my personal relationship w/ God, nature, myself & humankind as a whole. I have a dear friend who told me what her father used to tell her family, "It's all, a wonderful story." I see it that way too, as a really good story handed down over the centuries, of a particuliar civilization which in modern day is viewed as Judiac-Christian. The stories of "All the Peoples of the Earth", also are wonderfully rich, w/ the inspirations that created them, & their various narratives & adventures.
The Passover Story has always "spoken to me" in a most special way, as I find it an excellent metaphor of this modern day western civilization life span, hence the 40 years of wandering on the desert.
But what makes me feel ultimately grounded & whole is my personal relationship w/ nature, hence God that resides in us all, w/ no herichary, no head games, & our organic connections, of living a life. Thus my lifetime dedication as a peace & enviromental/conservation activist.
Thank u* again dear friend from 40+ years ago, as it's been quite fun, & inspirational re connecting after all this time.
The very best w/ your upcoming books, as I am sure, that the folks from near & far & also those who visit the Peace Garden will love to read them, as will I. The works of- John L. Stanizzi , a favorite poet/author w/ great talent & heart, from Connecticut.
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