The Handmaid's Sinai

By Bonnie Lyons

That day at Sinai only Miriam stood
with the bearded elders close to Moses.
The rest of the women were behind
the men hushing restless children,
and we handmaids
stood farthest away.

Together we stood transfigured
by the glorious encounter,
united into one people
accepting the covenant
that gave meaning
to our meandering lives.

Small and slight,
I could barely see
what was happening
and could not push forward.

Standing so far back
I could not help but notice
that while we were one people
we were still many people:
men and women, rich and poor,
powerful and powerless.
Those standing near the mountain
could see only the oneness.