26 Comments
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Karly Randolph Pitman's avatar

Oh, so beautiful Moudi! One of my most beloved aspects of grocery shopping in the town where I live is greeting my Muslim neighbors with al salamu alaykum. You capture this intention so beautifully, while also including the nuances in our many cultures that hold ruptures as well as the desire for peace. Thank you for writing this poem - how our hearts need it now.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

How tender to hear that you greet your Muslim neighbors like this. An act of welcome and safety in today's climate. Thank you for reading, and for sharing <3

Liesl Jobson's avatar

Where I live I greet the shopkeepers and my neighbours with Salaam alaykum. It is a powerful invocation.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

Beautiful, it is powerful, and oh so poetic and softening to the heart to walk around wishing peace to people <3

Jinks Hoffmann's avatar

Shalom, shalom dear brother....

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

Shalom dear sister 🕊️

Poetry Tracks In the Snow's avatar

So beautiful Moudi🩵

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

Thank you friend <3

Erin Geesaman Rabke's avatar

Peace be upon you, beautiful soul, and upon all beings. Thank you for your poetry. What a gift.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

And upon you, all our relations, all the ways you too gift your community room to breathe and be <3

Karen Hoffman's avatar

Can't comment until I can breathe again!

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

deep breaths! 😅 <3

Subhana Cathy Graf's avatar

Al salamu alaykum.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

W alaykum al salam <3

Brigid Beckman's avatar

And upon you be peace, beautiful soul. 🕊

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

Peace peace to all <3

Amrita Skye Blaine's avatar

And upon you peace, my brother.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

And to you habibi, light in the heart, light in the eyes

Diane Langley's avatar

Comforting to wake too early to come upon this gem of words

A reminder in being peace, thank you

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

Oh that brings me peace, to know you woke up to a comforting poem. May it carry you through the rest of your day.

Silke Heiss's avatar

Ah, this piece breathes my air. Thank you.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

My pleasure. Glad we share the same breath of peace wishes.

LindaG's avatar

And upon you, peace, Moudi.

I love where this poem goes, touching everything with peace.

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

And upon you, and your loved ones, and everything you meet today. The world could be like this, it is possible <3

Jan Haag's avatar

Such a good poem with so many good lines! Among my favorites:

"...peace announced on our lips, over and

over, reminded of our safe place among each other."

I also hear lovely echoes of Merwin's repeated line in "Thanks"—"we are saying thank you" in:

"...al salamu alaykum I am saying, kissing the

wind, waving this world towards my chest

peace be upon you"

Gorgeous, Moudi!

Moudi Sbeity's avatar

I love Merwin's "Thanks" - it does evoke those lines. I love how it ends too with "dark though it is." Thank you Jan <3