Restoration

 

I have cried this Day

I have cried out to the wind and the water

And the presence of God’s spirit

That I know is here

In this lonely and dreary Winter place

 

Restoration

Is my cry

Restoration

Is my longing

A one word Breath prayer

That pours from my soul

Like the water of Lake Erie

Pours across the stones on the shore

Creating shadows

And shades

And patterns

Too beautiful to dismiss

Without paying attention

To the selfless flow of water

Clearing away

putting things right

Smoothing away the rough edges

 

Restoration

It is the one gift that I want

In the midst of this Christmas

But will I know it if it comes

When it comes

 

How do we know

That restoration

Has come

 

It comes in tears

From grief and pain and loss

It comes from hopes and dreams

From faith and believing

 

It takes courage

Because it changes us

It moves us

From longing to purpose

And action

 

I want

Restoration

of the moments

Of love and laughter

Of face to face

Word to word

Conversations

Poured forth from

Relationships

Severed by vast distance

Of time

Of space

Even when we are standing side by side

 

I want restoration

Of our senses

So that we can see

So that we can know

So that we can hear

The sound of Rachel

Weeping for her children

So we can feel what it means to be

Inconsolable

 

I want the restoration

Of a church

Where the Gospel is lived out

And all people

All sons and daughters

Are fed

And clothed

And visited

And released from captivity

And housed

And encouraged

And accepted

And cherished

By all of us

Even if they

Do not look like us

Or sound like us

Or think like us

Or love like us

Or see the Holy

As we do

Or at all

 

I want restoration of peace

Is that possible

Have we ever known peace

That can even be Restored

I want peace

Moments of peace

Lifetimes of peace

Centuries of peace

that build upon each other

And expand

And engulf

And embrace

Until it is an eternal moment

for this world

 

I want restoration

Soon

In this new day

For all people

A restoration that brings

The absence of war

The absence of fear

The absence of neglect

The absence of judgmental notions

That thwart

God’s unconditional love

A restoration that brings

Hope and harmony

Mercy and acceptance

Forgiveness and new chances

For all of life to thrive

 

I long for restoration soon

Before we forget

What can be restored

 

 

This poem was written over several days at Mount St. Benedict Monastery on Lake Erie.  It was started on the Feast of the Holy Innocents and refers to Jeremiah 31:15 and Matthew 2:17-18

 

Poem and photos © Alicia Randolph Rapking, 12/31/2018