Love Facing by Safa Plenty

Sometimes a label is
just that a label, other times it is
a compulsion that cause us
to react in anger,
there is a shattered wall
above a basement
staircase, where  a mother
tried to protect her child
from being spanked by his
grandfather who then,
threatens to beat her, how does
a childish mistake made
by a seven year old
lead to a senseless act of
violence, now she is left
wondering, “O God
how do I love
in the face of such violence?”

Sometimes a label is
just that a label, other times it
is an acceptance that aid us in
process of forgiveness,
to understand an aging, ailing
man’s inability to apologize
for the physical and emotional
anguish that he has visited upon
his family, his voice and actions a
manifestation of his internal wounds
that never healed,
his anger a testament
of his unnurtured brokenness,
when did it become
right for a woman’s voice
to be dismissed, her gentle
nature looked upon as a
weakness, a reality that has
left many women confused
about the value of their
feminine selves in relationship
to man’s brute strength,
so they are left pondering
“O God, how do we love in the face
of such violence?”

Sometimes a label is
just that a label, other times it
is a definition that give us
the courage to stand up,
a woman, heart racing,
stands between a balling child and
his grandfather after he bumped
his chest against hers
when she asked him
not to stand over a crying child
taunting and chiding him for
expressing his emotions,
when did it become okay
to show our little boys
that being a man is exerting
outward force and control
over women, so she prays,
“O God, how do I love
in face of such violence?”

Sometimes a label is
just that a label, other times it
is a conviction that allows
us to accept another’s
brokenness, to uphold
an elder’s right to respect
and dignity, and a child’s right to
unconditional love and open
expression of his emotions,
When we have faith that
this is how to love
in spite of violence,
God opens 7,000
valleys in our hearts through
the love of the Beloved,
and we are made able to love
in spite of it, “O God
increase our honor,
protect us,
and bless our
sages and prophets
and their gentle kind.”