An old woman's song

After Luke 2:36-38 

I am 84, an old woman,

and I have served here

these many years, with

hope in my heart, a hope

realized this day, for

I have seen salvation,

the promise as old as

the people, the promise

made to Moses, and

I have seen it realized

this day: in front of me

is the redemption

of Jerusalem. This day,

the smallest doubt

has died, and the light

is shining.

 

Photograph by Danie Franco via Unsplash. Used with permission.

The prophetess

After Luke 2:35-38

She’d been here

for years, never

leaving, always

serving, speaking

words that inspired

or foretold or

frightened or all 

of the above, often

at the same time.

She’d lived here,

in worship and prayer,

fasting and praying,

until she saw

the child who

was foretold.

As a prophetess 

does, she saw the child

and prophesied.

Photograph by Glen Hudson via Unsplash. Used with permission.

The words of Anna

After Luke 2:22-38

The old woman, revered

and often feared for the words

which would tumble, rumble

from within, the words anticipating 

what was to come, this old woman

sees the child,

just another child,

just another ceremony,

another ritual,

and she knows Jerusalem

is redeemed, that Israel

is saved, that the ceremony

if purification is turned on its head,

as the child purifies the temple,

purified the priests, purifies the people.

And the old woman,

the prophetess,

is silenced.

Photograph by Paolo Bendandi via Unsplash. Used with permission.