Poetry Friday
Yom Kippur September 22, 2023
Beloveds,
Sunday evening begins the High Holiday of Yom Kippur. I have been reading about this and the traditions that go along with it. I found a brief explanation here in case you want to read.
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/yom-kippur-history
I suppose I am drawn to this now because I am feeling tired and worried about all that this week has held. The article says "it is a time for prayer, good deeds, reflecting on past mistakes, and making amends with others.” What a beautiful time to make reflections on all of that here in the midst of the transition of seasons.
I read this beautiful story today in The Washington Post and since I can gift a copy, I gift to you. Heads up warning…. It made me cry with the beauty of grief and love…. If that is not where you are in this season I invite you to skip this reading.
What caught my attention was this sacred reading of the “Unetaneh tokef.” (“Let us recount the power of the holiness of this day.”) The author says it is custom to read during Yom Kippur and it is about how we may meet our judgement day. And, then there is this juxtaposition of the story of Jonah, which I will not bore you with here but it is a reflection of a way that we see Jonah challenging God and whether he was “right” to go against God. Everything is up to interpretation says every good Rabbi. Well, there is a good sermon waiting to be preached!
My music selection comes from the article in The Washington Post. A song by Leonard Cohen who put the words to the Unetaneh Tokef to beautiful music as only he can.
And since it is Friday and the weekend is upon us we could all use a good poem, right? I don’t think I have used this poem before.
HOPE
By Rosemerry Wahtola Trimmer
Hope has holes
in it’s pockets.
It leaves little
crumb trails
so that we,
when anxious,
can follow it.
Hope’s secret:
it doesn’t know
the destination —
it knows only
that all roads
begin with one
foot in front
of the other.
Friends, enjoy and let this sink deep in your soul.
Blessings for your weekend,
Jace