Sunday, June 28, 2015

I Visit Jacob's Well, Built 4000 Years Ago

First of all, I want to announce that one of my poems is being featured on the "Circles of Faith" blog, beginning Monday, June 29th. The title of the poem is, "I Can't Make You Love Him". I hope you'll click on the following link and check it out: http://www.CirclesOfFaith.org.

The poem I've selected to post here this week is "A Cup of Water from Jacob's Well". It is from my little book of poems, "A Pilgrim's Quest--A Poet Visits the Holy Land". The poem is about a visit to Jacob's Well in Shechem, during my first pilgrimage in 1986.


A CUP OF WATER 
FROM JACOB’S WELL
Israel Pilgrimage—1986

We arrive at Shechem
and make our way
to Jacob’s Well

It surprises me to find
this ancient water source
that I first read about in Genesis
still operating

and I’m astonished
to be offered
a refreshing cupful
drawn deeply
from a bucket
on a rope

The water is clear and cool
and tastes ordinary, but
what can be ordinary
about water drawn
from the very well
of the old patriarch
built 4000 years ago?

I purchase a small ceramic urn
filled with an ounce or so
of life’s most basic sustenance
It is sealed with a plug of wax

I’ll place it on a shelf at home
not because of any
mystical or magical powers

(It is ordinary water, after all)

but to remind me
of how far back in time
God’s amazing story goes

Maude Carolan Pych


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