And Now & The Seeds of Compassion by Rabbi Gaylia R. Rooks
Rabbi Gaylia R. Rooks: I wrote this poem just moments after the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. It was read at the Jewish Community Memorial Service Sunday evening in memory of the 13 Americans who were murdered last week–2 at the J’town Kroger and 11 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
And Now…
In the Beginning
God created
the heavens and the earth
and now…
there is darkness on the face of the deep
and the earth is void
of righteousness and compassion.
And God divided
between the heavens above
and the heavens beneath
and now…
the heavens are filled with cries of suffering
and the seas could never contain
the oceans of innocent blood.
And the Holy One
Blessed Be
gathered together the waters on earth
and now…
upon the dry land there is
grass and trees bearing fruit
and anger bearing hatred and death.
And on the fourth day
The Lord God illuminated
sun and moon and stars
and now…
darkness threatens to overcome
the power of light
and the forces of evil and war unite.
Then the Eternal One
called forth living creatures
to swarm in the heavens and in the seas
and now…
the skies are filled
with weapons of destruction
and violence clouds the very air we breathe.
And the Creator
of all the world said
Let us make animals and human beings
and now…
human beings have become as animals
that demand domination over all God’s works
and kill and destroy what they cannot control
But on the seventh day
God rested from all labor
and God blessed the work of Creation
and now…
we must live that blessing
we must turn from death and war
and learn again the message of hope and love and peace.
And now…
let there be peace
let there be light
let there be promise
let there be love.
This poem was written in response to Mayor Greg Fischer’s call and was read at the Metro Hall this morning for Louisville’s Moment of Solidarity.
I wrote it in honor of the Mayor’s ongoing, unstinting efforts to make Louisville a City of Compassion and in memory of the 13 Americans who were murdered last week–
2 at the J’town Kroger and 11 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
The Seeds of Compassion
May the tears shed for these souls,
gunned down in a war against hope,
water the seeds of compassion.
May the oceans of prayers and words,spoken against violence and hatred,
overflow into healing and unity.
May the commitment of the caring and just,roll down into action like water,
to righteousness as a mighty stream.
That our grief may turn into healing,our mourning into joy for the world,
Never Again to weep for those slain.
We must counter violence with votes,fight hatred with love,
conquer fear with friendship,
overwhelm terror with the forces of light and good.
May the tears shed for these souls,gunned down in a war against hope,
water the seeds of compassion.