is Born In Moab”
This is the beginning of a series of spiritual stories
of Biblical characters I have written in prose and
poetry, hoping to give inspiration and faith, to help
us in our spiritual journey through life.
“The book of Ruth is a story of
A Moabite woman who forsakes
love and devotion, inspiring
all to be faithful to God”
her pagan heritage
Part One
Among a mountainous area of an
Ancient land lies the country of
Moab. The hillsides are
Dotted with the green of myrtle and
Olive and flowers of the ‘Star Of
Bethlehem.’
There is a river called the Jordan
River that flows south through
This land into the Dead Sea. Now
The reason the sea is called dead
Is because water flows in but does
Not flow out and it is full of salt…
Not much grows here but a few
Strange plants, cacti and succulent
Growing on arid land…
Children have fun even though they
Cannot swim, but float in the water.
****
Small, sunbaked homes in this town
Are made of stucco and yellow straw
And have flat roofs opening into a
Courtyard and cobblestone streets.
Bright pink and red bougainvillea
Climb along the walls and yellow
Forsythia welcome spring.
Spring is a happy time in nearby
Fields, seed is sown of barley and rye.
It seems it always rains when the seed
Is planted and there is plenty of water…
****
The evening is sultry, too warm to
Sleep, quietly she stirs as she labors to
Walk stone stairs to the roof, to escape
The heat, to lay in the coolness and
Look at the stars…she rolls to her side
As she lays in wait, to give birth to her
Child…a cry is heard as pain begins,
A child is about to be born…
Bake Bread”
Part Two
Dawn is nearing, the stars
Are withdrawing, soon the
Sun will shine on a child she
Is carrying…
It is a difficult birth, the mother
Languishes in pain…a midwife
Is called, running quickly to
Get a stick to place in the
Mother’s mouth.
Clenching down between cries,
With beads of sweat, the midwife
Wipes her forehead with
Cool cloths propping her feet,
Lifting her to the birthing stool…
Beginning to faint, the midwife
Holds her in her arms, then she
Stands that the baby will be in
Place…
Olive oil, a basin of water, warm
Wool and a pillow to lay the baby
On are ready. As family and friends
Gather about this home, prayers
Are lifted for this mother and
Child, then one more
Clench of pain, and one last cry,
The baby has arrived.
It has been a difficult birth, but
All the forces of evil cannot stop
This child, for she will be the
Mother of a Son, in a great lineage
Of a King…
The midwife softly
Washes the baby with water and oil.
Wrapping her in swaddling clothes,
The baby stops crying and is placed
By the mother’s side.
A name is chosen!
Ruth the Moabites,
For she is born in Moab…
As the custom in those days, the
Mother ties the baby to her hip as
She goes to work in the barley field.
The feeling of closeness to her
Mother is soothing, the swishing of
The scythe and the soft songs sung
By the mothers…
The heat is thick, sun setting high in
The sky, her baby whimpers, then
Begins to cry. Stopping to nurse her,
She hurries to glean more barley
And rye…
At time of harvest, as
The sun begins to set, her mother
Quickly gathers sticks,
Kneading dough and baking bread….
Excerpts from the book “The Story Of Ruth”
Donna's Poetry Blog 