Western Wall

A sea of bobbing black hats
Sabbath honouring
and tradition holding
Orthodox men pressing their prayers
into the Western Wall.

Women separated by metal grid
dance the Sabbath in
with joyful rhythmic sound.

Other men in prayer caps
and cornered tassels,
arms around each other
sway from side to side,
hearts and minds
united in worship
of The Shekinah presence.

Thousands of paper prayers
stick out of crevasses
of the thick stone blocks.

Flowering bushes
where pigeons find their rest,
cling haphazardly to the heights.

Uniformed soldiers rest their weapons
to jump with joy.

Such joy in this people
who have faced a dreadful history,
survived and now flourish beyond belief.

Chosen and blessed by God,
their prayers at this Western Wall
will ultimately be answered.