A Prayer from the Vale of Tears

Based on Psalm 84:6, “Who passing through the vale of tears makes it a spring.”

In memory of Aftab Hussein, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, Naeem Hussain, and Mohammad Ahmadi

i do not know how much weeping it takes

before tears turn to springs

is one mother’s grief enough?

maybe two?

or is it four?

or does it take a village

to mourn a child

the same as to raise her?

i do not know how many deaths there must be

before guns are fashioned into planting tools

will it be when there is nothing left to break

open the earth?

The plows and pruning hooks

beaten down from digging too many graves?

i do not know how many prayers must be prayed

and vigils held

and hands wrung in sorrow

and mosques and temples guarded for worship

how many men to kneel

and children to shake in fear

i do not know how many candles must be lit

and solemn bells rung

and funeral hymns sung

but maybe if the Psalmist is right

maybe one day God hears us

this village lost to violence

maybe one day we say

Enough.

And like justice rolling down as water,

Righteousness an ever-flowing stream,

the tears will change to springs

of love’s plenty

cascading falls of peace

And finally, and evermore,

Those tears,

Our weeping

will be exactly

and just

enough.

You are the light of the world. 

Yours,

Lynne