Poetry Submission - Yom Kippur by Sarah Feld

Yom Kippur
by Sarah Feld (c)

a worm
in the court of the King -
how dare i stand
in Your presence?
how dare i assume
that i may stand?

a look within
reveals unfinished efforts
deficient attempts.
how can i approach You
with such inadequacy?
i wanted to do more,
be more
by now –
if not now, when???

lacking lucid perspective
i hover pathetically
in the abyss
between perception
and bewilderment –
failing to comprehend.

commendable deeds,
so few, sporadic.
i desperately
need to know
what should I do now?
and after?

In essence,
on this erev Yom Kippur
I stand before you,
devastated;
without understanding
After many years
of seeking wisdom
I don’t know what to do
but bring my lowliness
before You
and beg for mercy.

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Poetry Submission: Yom Kippur - The Shofar's Yearnings

As the day draws closer
my thoughts muddle, would
the Day of Pardon consider
my choice of offering, inner
reflection, for the slaughter
and the dashing blood?

Since birth the tassels
of the talit swing between
the poles of the Ha-Aaron,
leading the way into the
forest of symbols, basking
in its sheltering revelations.

As I light the yiskor candles
I hear piyyutim from the bowl
of the earth, think of the angels;
no enmity among  them.

The verse from Sefer Tehillim,
“a man [is] slightly less than
the angels” surely has been
lost in translation as I’m lured
by the Three Trees tempted
to taste   Birth   Life   Death.

Enfolded in awe, I pace
the synagogue’s steps ready
to invoke the shofar’s tekiot
as it weave loops of ashamnu
brought forth by hearty viduyyim
belted in sanctified writings.

O' God, hear my pardon,
Amen Ve Amen - Strike!

--

Michal Mahgerefteh is an award-winning poet and artist. She is the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Poetica Magazine, Reflections of Jewish Thought, www.poeticamagazine.com Her debut poetry collection, In My Bustan is now available through her web site, www.michalmahgerefteh.com.

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To submit your poem of Jewish and/or Israeli content email bbresky@israelnationalradio.com with the subject line: Poetry Submission.

Poetry Submission: The Two Walked - Ilan & Assaf Ramon

AND THE TWO WALKED ON TOGETHER...
Dedicated to the memories of Ilan & Assaf Ramon
by Esther Lixenberg-Bloch 

There was a space of time between the two
who went so knowingly together.
The space that clamoured for their presence, knew
how intertwined their fates would be forever.
The task commanded, tested faith: Be true,
and all adversity you'll weather.

A distant view. His eyes saw far ahead
and up to heights unknown before to man.
“Your only son...” the voice had said.
He did not query what or why the plan,
but steadfast in belief, his tread
led on to where our history began.

The two walked silently, in par
with dawn-touched creatures, stirring only now from sleep:
Each scuttling lizard's footprint, an earth’s star;
each snake coiling in waves, made paths to leap;
the honing eagle, watching from afar,
restrained her talons, stilled her descent steep.

Along the way, a roaring river set its traps
in white-frothed fists that punched and pummeled rocks;
and though His black-winged servant urged collapse,
and tried to shred his faith with blows and knocks,
the path led on and up; perhaps
to qualify our lives with paradox:

Father and son - now sacrificed together.
Time encapsulated, nulling rift of years.
Command internalized – their mutual tether,
like father and son before. They knew no fears.
Embracing in His presence, no cords can sever
their bond, enclosed in a sea of endless tears.

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To submit your poem of  Jewish and/or Israeli content email bbresky@israelnationalradio.com with the subject line: Poetry Submission