! Muslims And Christians Poem by Michael Shepherd

In the deepest deeps of the human heart,
what separates Christian and Muslim,
Islam and Christianity?

Absolutely nothing. How could it?

The God always close to us –
as close as His blood, our blood –
inside us, and outside us,
whom, when we forget,
then we must remember –

this, our God. In that holy place,
we cannot entertain
a thought of separation;

only when we seek duality, division,
a foe to fight a friend,
a friend to fight a foe,
do we name our friends, our fiends, our enemies.

Mohamed, the prophet of the Lord,
Jesus, son of God? Let those who will,
play with such terms;

and if men insult their holy name –
some in burning fury
take it as a personal insult
to the God who lives within them;
some smile, and say,
God is not mocked…
His justice and His mercy see
that retribution is His law of nature…

In the deepest deeps
of one single human heart, rests
enough love for the whole world, the whole Creation;
who can measure that?