For Sister Marie Sophie,
killed in Lebanon, 1981
and
Frank Ramsperger, sj
1931 – 2013
Sweet sister, you have danced your dance,
now you lie dead,
victim of an endless war.
And yet, how beautiful you are,
how beautiful your feet, your hands,
folded in death.
You danced good news
with your graced hands and feet,
now do not stir,
lie still.
The truck you provisioned,
packed with bread and plasma,
emblazoned with its blood red cross,
lies wrecked,
its blood spilt,
its broken bread
the food of fieldmice and ravens.
And your two companions,
young Muslim men,
are slain as well.
What a dance you danced before those armies,
you three in your truck,
blood leaping upon the mountains,
bread bounding over the hills,
terrible under your banner of love!
Daughter of Zion, daughter of Lebanon,
sons of the Prophet, what did they think,
those mighty men, expert in war,
as you roared down that road
between those armies
And what does it matter,
now that you lie dead,
crowned in your crash helmet,
your white dress crumpled, crushed,
beautiful as a bride, in your blood.
How beautiful you are,
how very beautiful!
Like a palm tree stripped of its branches
for a procession,
a heap of wheat after storm and hail,
a fawn slain by leopards.
There is blood on your lips,
purple blood in your tangled tresses,
those locks which captivate your King,
the Bridegroom who awaits you.
You are truly beautiful,
white rose of Sharon,
lily of Lebanon,
truly lovely!
&nbs