Tabea Mangelsdorf: Beggars’ Repast
A sweet reminder that we’re all one regardless of wealth or geography . . . and that the kingdom of heaven is “at hand.”
Check out the related Radical Acts:
BE childlike
LOVE your neighbor as yourself
LYRICS
By Tabea Mangelsdorf
Heat and spices, tobacco and rats, beggars press around.
I feel so helpless, to them I’m the rich, how can we know each other?
But my eyes avoid their misery.
As if an echo to my thoughts, a pleading tug, from a boy.
One hand presents his bony legs, the other opens demanding alms.
Again my choice to look or turn away.
Some force nags in spite of my fear, why won’t i look at him?
I brace myself, and turn my eyes, a moment suspends
Un-sureness fades and he grins.
Here we stand, shy and moved, we giggle and go our ways.
Urged by wonder, i find the boy and hand him my bag of fruit,
And quickly I leave, dunno, what else can I do?
A nudge starts me from reverie, a timid hand presents
A small bag of chocolate treats, we are to be his guests.
Stunned, we make room for him.
With expectant eyes, he offers to each, we must with grace accept
And every new pleading face is asked to join our group.
Our round grows wide, the train comes too soon.
Topics: Music | Tags: poverty, Supply
Tabea, What a beautiful song to set off to sleep with tonight. It has been a long time since you were at camp and I have missed your singing. Love, Deb
This is beautiful, thank you Tabea. Your voice is beautiful, the story too. Love was felt.
Beautiful Tabea! It’s nice to hear your voice. :)
Ah Tabea, you did it again! What a beautiful song – longing turning into prayer, prayer turning into words, words finding their proper home in music… Love from Berlin, Annette
Very nice. India? Could have taken place in many places, but your inspiration is universal.
So beautiful and it took me right back to the streets of Cusco, Peru, where I lived and saw the sweet face of the boy in your song in the faces of many there. You perfectly described the shift to innocent wonder that love brings to a reluctant heart. My heart recognized itself in your music. I read and listened at the same time and it was really, really moving. Your voice made me not want the song to end.
This is so lovely. Thank you!
Hey! Thank you all for your comments!
To Kate: no, I had a really amazing guy from my school who played it. :)
And to GrannyJoy: BEAUTIFUL! It took me so much courage to just look. How silly actually, but there was so much energy pushing me towards it and I could feel the grand possibility in this decision. The fear of opening, not to the categories and labels I place on people, but to what is ACTUALLY there in a person! A whole universe! God! So good to hear from you!
How honest and open you are Tabea. Thanks for sharing your whole story — from the difficulty of looking into the faces of the “beggars”– until you paid attention to the nudge each time. The boy was blessed, and so were you. You became a whole family group . God’s children. A love story.
Today a rough looking man sat by the sidewalk in the shade of a building. He called out to me. “Hi, have a good day.” I know what you mean — difficult, but I had to look at him, and recognize he is God’s child too, so I was able to return his greeting, and I meant it. We both smiled.
Great lyric and lovely flow of music,story, and discovery. Thanks Tabea
This is really pretty! Did you write/play the guitar part, too?
Beautiful poetry here, darling Tabea.
Almost stream of consciousness. It took me a read through of the lyrics without the music to really feel the full impact of the message.
Let our prayers be our constant alms for these beautiful children of God.