Welcome
Welcome
by Lisa Morales | North Swanzey, NH
Evening falls in the pueblo,
Markets are finished,
The squares reclaimed by
Old folks gathered to
Recount decades and days,
Recalling a time when
A general who closed off
Their lives and spun tales
Of terror across this land
Where now many walk
In freedom and peace.
This is a place of welcome
For those who seek
Solace and enlightenment
Introspection and fellowship.
Under this roof is practiced
Radical hospitality.
All are welcome, each
According to their own where
Kindness prevails, meals
Are shared, and pains are
Salved by strangers.
Tradition is the lineage
Binding host to guest,
Where dust on the boots
Of those who came before and
Those who will follow
Is swept across the threshold
And ground into the souls
Of those seekers gathered
To rest and rejoice.
Together we sing and praise
Gratitude shared among those
Slumbering so close to neighbors.
That knowledge must be
Shared of different lands
And of varied faiths
Under this one roof.
In peaceful slumber we
Practice Benedict’s rule
Of love and welcome
For all who walk this path.
