Poem: A Pilgrim's Peace in the Middle East

Wednesday, 25 August 2004, 10:42 am
Opinion: Genevieve Cora Fraser

A Pilgrim’s Peace in the Middle East [*]

By Genevieve Cora Fraser

In Syria-Palestine
Flared beakers
Poured forth
A Pilgrim’s hope
Awaiting travelers
Journeying to Jerusalem
Before Mohammad
Rose to stand
Make his point
In the triumvirate
Of Monotheism
Before Islam
Glass blowers
Mastered molds
In Jewish and Christian
Symbols Shofars
Blown in amber relief
Crosses protruded
In prominent position
On golden iridescence
Melding into olive
Jugs filled with holy oil
In the center of a hexagon face
Predating the Star of David
A Menorah marks
The days of creation
Sacred to all who live
Under one Creator
United in a common
Humanity free
Blown glass
Sand ground
Fine as the dust
Of time fired into hues
Blues and purples
Gold and greens
Bottled into sturdy
Squares and hexagons
Exquisite octagons
Stand in silent homage
In a display of the many
Sided face of belief
In a better world

* Inspired by the Pilgrim flasks, the jugs and bottles that stand in silent tribute to the Christians and Jews who journeyed to Jerusalem between 400 – 600 AD, on display in a plexiglas case at the LA County Museum of Art’s Department of Ancient and Islamic Art.

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