The Last Poem
On this day, the last day of the year
Joseph and his brothers celebrated together
He did not know his brothers would soon sell him into slavery
His brother too celebrated not thinking of the crime they would commit
they celebrated together in their father’s house for the last time
A year later the day was marked again in Joseph’s heart
and he looked out over Egypt
believing he would never see his father again
Imagine this miracle
On this day, the last day of the year
Husayn ibn Ali still lived
he ate bread with his wife and children
and with his extended family on this day
he pondered his grandfather coming at last to Medina years before
he pondered that miracle and was at peace
Ponder this also
On this day, the last day of the year
Nian Shou the beast which lived beneath the sea and the mountains
came out to devour the children of a village
and a child wearing red stepped on his toe
Nian Shou has hid every year after
An unexpected blessing
On this day, the last day of the year
Simeon celebrated the Rosh Hashanah
faithfully waiting on the promise of God
that he would not die until having seen the messiah
his whole life became a silent recantation of a prayer
and he celebrated this day not knowing
that this year was the last year of his waiting
Consider this promise
As we bring these verses to completion
we might wonder how many are left for us to write
we might wonder
but think on how unexpected the verses will be
each a blessing and miracle in itself
only he who has forgotten to take stock is without joy
let only he who has forgotten to celebrate be unfulfilled
We are all returning
says the Qu’ran
We are all returning
our arms full of blessing
We are all returning
having seen miracles
and promises fulfilled
