Hannah…(Hebrew Scriptures)

HANNAH…(Hebrew Scriptures)

A barren womb
and a man, Elkanah, who loved you so
even though you could not give him
any offspring.

His other wife Penninah…
She, despised you.
You could offer nothing in your barrenness.
She beat you ’emotionally.’

So scared were you.
You went to the temple.
Your tears a torrent of rushing waters…
The priest thought you drunk
but, you were consumed by your emptiness.

How many know your cry?
How many locked in closed rooms silently grieve
an inability to ‘birth?’

Your sorrow heard…
This not the way for all.

You conceived
your child—a son
offered as a Nazarite to Eli.

You nurtured him for his first three years of life.
He fed upon your milk
and nestled into your embrace.

He would be a judge like no other.
And, you, woman
never went back to Penninah
throwing it in her face…

No, instead…
You offered thanks.

“Let yourself be silently drawn/By the stronger pull of what you really love.”         RUMI