The Bent Over Woman / Dedicated to My Mother

Meditation
Luke 13;10 -Crippled Woman Healed on the Sabbath
Psalm 9 ending
Images :
large dandelions
other dandelions bent over and closed
Field of them
Garden sunbathed open bright
Lectio on Ora Labora Prayer and Work in the Yard
Bent Over Woman
It has been 18 years
Since I lifted my face
Full , faced into the sun
And felt the its rays touching me
Warm,Welcome, Healing
But I have toiled , in it's heat
Broken as I am
On a little wheel of pots
Where brokeness is all around me
As my bentness fits the trade
The work of my brother's shop
Kerush, I spit his name
Husband that he was
Beat me till I could not stand
Then beat me some more
Beat me for amuzement
So he could call me names
Ugly , cripple, useless,
No man will ever love you ! Again !.
Slam !
Beat me so often , I broke
And could barely work around the house.
The neighbours heard the sounds but they closed their ears.
Poor Maraush, they would say at the well
What could they do, but pray
So we prayed.
.
Prayed for release
However it came
He continued to taunt me like a toy
Or an abused pet, chained to the house
Like a cage.
Not many women would think
Another woman was a blessing
But he found her, Clapped his shoes
Three times in my face
For my ugliness, brokeness, useless body
And threw me with the few rags
I had for clothes out into the street
Screaming : An Unclean Spirit has done this too her
Evil Woman that she is. I divorce you, I divorce you
I divorce you. Slam
A Spirit had done this to me
The Evil thing inside Kerush
Shamed to live , hidden now
In the rooms behind my brothers shop
Praying , Hopeless Prayers
Forgotten, Broken, Outcast.
Voices , The street was full of excited Voices
The said He was coming , the Healer
The Blind See, The Lame Walk,
The Dead come back to Life,
The Dead come back to Life.
Something drove me to the street
Like an unseen hand pushing
Almost stumbling forward
To the Door of the Synogogue
I halted at the door
The crowd pressing all around
Afraid I would be cast out
Divorced , beaten , broken , woman in rags
He saw me- Me
The crowd parted
“Come Here”Mara!
He knew my name !
His hands warm on my head
“ Woman you are set free from your infirmity “
His touch.
Like hot oil , flowing through my whole body
Filling every empty, broken place.
Overwhelming Joy
He lifted my head , slowly
His fingers gently on my chin
To look into my eyes
Eyes that knew the darkness in my soul
Eyes full of Light, Life and Promise
Love I had never known.
I lifted my head
My arms , my voice
And I praised the God
He had heard my prayers
He had not forsaken me
Behind me mens voices mumbled ,
Grumbled, frowned , annoyed
Healing on the Sabbath
Be set free , He whispered in my ear
Free,As He turned me towards the door
Be Set Free.
Like a bird from the cage of my body
I could almost fly
My neighbours welcomed into their arms
Laughing, touching me in awe and wonder
You are healed, You are free.You are whole
Even my brother smiled.
“It has been a long time since I have seen your smile Mara”
“ I has been a long time since I have seen yours”
Laughter, a sound I had not heard for a long time
Delighted , joyful, free
We went home to break bread and make Pots
The warmth of the sunlight on my face as
I turn it up to God ,and say Thank You
Praise Be Your Holy Name . I am free.
Psalm 9
I will praise you, Oh Lord with all my heart
I will tell of all your wonders, I will be glad and rejoice in you
I will sing praises to You , Oh Most high........... Lorna Tatomir July14/10.