Serendipity had placed her
There this day
Her pack still held the gifted cup 
The leftover wine
from the meal she served
Two days before

Her way barred by the braying crowd
An all too familiar gruesome parade
She stood eyes averted till it passed
Not wanting to legitimize its horror with her eyes
The frenzy mob howled
Like braying jackals for a corpse
She saw the movement 
A woman lunged
Daring the soldiers
Weeping she held a shattered man
Mother and son for a searing instant
Oblivious to the hell 
Bestowed on them by the throng
Wrenched away by guards
The horrid wreck fell 
His face hitting the sharp gravel unchecked 
his arms chained to the crosstree
She had not known the target of their hate 
Till now
The young rabbi of two days ago

In a fluid unthought moment the cup 
Was in her hand the last of the wine
To quench his death thirst.
Lips to the cup and eyes to her they locked 
With unearthly power two caring souls
One serving to the one whose service was life
A single drop of falling blood 
Comingled with the last drop of wine 
Love and knowing passed in a lightning bolt 
Instantly she understood 
This act was her life's reason 

The moment shattered
He pressed on at spearpoint 
She cuffed for her compassion
Sprawling she protected the cup
The rabbi achingly forced to his death
She left behind by the murdering crowd
The cup and contents now
Protected in her pack