Available tonight in the church vestibule:
hand crafted eucharistic goblets made by Palestinian Christians
and a priest's prayer
for food for help for faith for perseverance
for peace
for those still living in Palestine
and aren't they all
aren't we all
still living in Palestine?
Still living in the mandate of a land whose borders have been drawn and re-drawn
swords drawn
guns drawn over a mountain promised to nations
beholden to no-one
and no-one looked up at the man holding a basket for the only food bank in three towns
as we filed out the back door
averting our eyes from the young woman with no coat pushing
well-bundled baby towards
young men smoking on the front step of the package store, who stand as we exit
watching the exodus
old ladies crossing the street to avoid dark men in dark doorways
clutching handbags and rosaries to their chests