Watching Jasmine Sleep
Frances Heiman

Now the snow shadowy just before dark
the trees embrace the heavens
reach toward the twilight sky
all is stillness.
Now in this hour when the wind ceases
the world of black and white stands silent
the sky turns plum color
bare branches of tress interconnect
like all of life.
And Jasmine sleeps
unaware of the wheel turning on itself
unaware of the centuries of women
who came before her bringing life.

I hold her as the first woman held her newborn.
She has taken my heart, this girl, this granddaughter.
She sleeps under the new moon
when one bright star adorns the winter sky.
Tomorrow we must teach her
how all she touches with love will shelter her
like a green canopy of leaves.
Teach her that to hurt another brings hurt to herself.
Compassion creates, hate destroys
and the holy is learned only with great trial.

I want the universe to watch her sleep
and all the cosmos of animals
and searing stars to keep still.
We will not waken her, not yet.
This child lives near God’s heart.