Friday Night, a poem by Miriam del Banco (1917)

Contributor(s): Miriam del Banco and Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Shared on: 2 June 2022 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories: Erev Shabbat

Tags: 19th century C.E., 57th century A.M., English poetry, English vernacular prayer, Prayers as poems

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Friday Night
	Friday night! come draw the curtain; I am weary with the week; Sit before the grate-fire with me. And together let us speak; Put aside your books and papers,— It is neither night nor day, And the Sabbath hour approaches; Put your endless toil away.
	Watch the fire-light—how it flickers! See the light and shadow play From the fender to the carpet And across the curtains gay; See its gentle fairy-fingers Touch the pictures on the wall, Giving them a life-like beauty, Lending grace to each and all.
	Over yonder hangs a picture Sheltered from the dancing gleam; See its dim uncertain outlines, Like the mem’ry of a dream, Watch when light dispels the shadow, And observe the lovely face; See, it seems the Sabbath Spirit, Cloth’d with pure and tender grace;
	Calling to your mind the missing Angels of our household band, Who, on bygone Sabbath evenings, Sat beside us, hand in hand; Bringing back our hopes and longings, Crowning them with light divine, Showing us our vain endeavors Softened by the glow of time;
	Speaking of its own sweet image, As our fathers knew it best,— Beautiful in true thanksgiving For the day of peace and rest; Teaching us to break the shadows, Hovering o’er its loved face, With the glowing light of fervor, Kindled by our ancient race.
	But I know I’m only dreaming, ’Tis a picture—nothing more,— Image of some lovely maiden Famed in song or fairy lore; Drop the curtain, watch the fire Till the shadows flee the light; Rest awhile within its gleaming, On this peaceful Sabbath night.

The poem “Friday Night” by Miriam del Banco (1858-1931) was included in The Standard Book of Jewish Verse (ed. Friedlander & Kohut 1917), p. 269. It can also be found in her posthumously published anthology, Poetry and Prose (1932), p. 106-107. “Friday Night” was likely published earlier, but we do not know where or when. If you know, please leave a comment, or contact us. –Aharon Varady

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“Friday Night, a poem by Miriam del Banco (1917)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Miriam del Banco

Miriam del Banco (27 June 1858 - 6 November 1931) was a writer, poet, translator, and educator. She was the daughter of Rabbi Max Del Banco (1825-1864), a reform rabbi with a congregation in Evansville, Indiana at the time of his death. Johanna (née Meyer), Miriam's mother, moved to St. Louis and there Miriam began her education in its public schools, displaying remarkable poetic talent. Later she was sent to her uncle at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where she attended the State Normal School. After graduating with honors, she rejoined her mother, who in the mean time had moved to Chicago. There, in 1885, Ms. Del Banco began teaching in the public schools, and from 1889 onward, as the assistant principal at the Von Humboldt School. Later on she served as the principal of the McClellan and Motley schools in Chicago. In 1921, at the age of 63, she earned a PhD from DePaul University. She was a frequent contributor to both the Jewish and general press, having written a large number of poems, both Jewish and secular, and often under the pseudonym, "the Pansy" (after her favorite flower).

Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17