Torrent in Today's Minyan

Today’s minyan was a torrent.
That one delighted: a wedding on the way.
This one relieved: just returned from Russia.
That one thoughtful: an illness averted.
That one teared up: a wife now gone.
This one stricken, sitting next to me,
In shock, almost in denial, knows the facts,
he’s a scientist,
his daughter on her last hope.

A torrent, a welter,
As it should be, as it has been,
As it will be, each voice,
A moment, a time, 
A place for our prayers,
the same prayers,
old-new,
different,
not,
hopes and gratitude
fear and love,
anger,
the loneliness of being
as grief evokes

Perhaps today was a bit more
…..acute than usual, 
due to sheer volume of 
holy exhalations wafted up.
Not really, for each man
Had his moment.

Tears, some joy, hopes, dreams,
These are the best days to rise early
And make way to the minyan.

Lord, grant us all a wholeness of being.
Rebuild, protect, make full, 
Hold above 
The Holy City
The arced-bow of peace.