Sitting Shiva For Vivian

 

Holy Wholeness,

I’m sitting shiva for Vivian Silver

Peace Activist, Humanitarian, Progressive. 

74.

She reached out

And helped when help was needed:

Jews and Palestinians. 

I didn’t know her but I did,

A good person, a hero.

But Vivian wasn’t asked for her resume

Before they killed her.  

In her honor,

I will try to hug nuance 

And speak up against hate and intransigence 

And look to understand the reasons and solutions

And try to feel all the pain

Of the perpetrators as well as the victims.

Hey,

Everyone may despise us but that’s the gig.

Screw it,

Do good anyway,

For Vivian

Amen

Beloved Of The Soul (Yedid Nefesh)

 

Compassionate Oneness,

Imagine us all,

Everyone,

Sweet as honey,

Kind and loving.

Radiant with life,

Pure at the start. 

Then we forget and yearn

For pleasant safety.

But truth is always best: 

Art and argument, obligation and doubt, 

Kindness and cruelty, grief and ecstasy.

We could be splendid.

Show us Your love!

Keep us sane

And help us to remember

Our beautiful souls. 

Amen

I Can’t Sleep

 

I can’t sleep 

Neither can I

Me neither

I understand 

Same

It happens 

It’s a sign of stress

Me, too

Too many feelings

I see you

Shamati

Sending love

I’m with you

Call or text anytime 

With you in anguish

I can’t stop thinking

Me, too

How can I help

How can I make it stop

Why are people so cruel

Why are people so stupid

It happens

No sleep 

Not now

Not tonight

Me, too

A Prayer For a Difficult Day

 

Blessed Yah, Creator, Created, Creating...

On this day of mourning,

We pray for peace and love,

For ourselves and the world,

Even if only for one day:

Instead of anger, we choose kindness.

Instead of revenge, we choose justice.

Instead of resentment, we choose empathy.

Instead of work, we choose rest.

Instead of ideology, we choose compromise.

Instead of destruction, we choose community.

Instead of fear, we choose endurance.

Instead of invective, we choose prayer.

Instead of violence, we choose peace. 

Instead of hate, we choose love.

Even if only for one day.

Amen.