Shabbat Shalom! And like a breath drawn
When no breath seemed possible,
Day turns to evening, fatigue to patience,
And the cups before us are full again.
Shabbat Shalom! And like a bright
And knowing smile at the end of a
Sad and sorry day, you and I sit down
To carrots and red peppers and hummus,
Tenderness on a plate, healing in our words.
Is it possible that this old way, sabbath,
This tradition of time set apart and holy,
Is all we need, all we've ever needed
To break our own stubborn hearts
And see the weariness and beauty
In the stranger we fear and distrust so?
Is heaven here on earth, is peace simply
The happy distance between your plate and mine?
Shabbat Shalom! Such daring in these streets,
Such strange assurance of peace yet to come,
Such courage for the peacemaker and the woman
Who grieves a hundred losses.
Day turns to evening, fatigue to patience,
And the cups before us are full again.
