Golden Country

“I will restore My people Israel from captivity.”

– Amos 9:4

Across the generations,

our spirit has been crushed in every nation.

Even now, the Mother of Exiles

is becoming a harlot, like unto Babylon,

leaving us to ponder upon the wisdom of Daniel,

in acknowledgment of our status,

as exiles from the Promised Land.

The dreams of our ancestors,

who looked in hope toward

the distant shoreline of the Goldene Medina,

have been mixed with the alchemy of culture

that threatens to replace the values,

instilled in them by our heritage,

that brought inspiration in the Old Country.

The shift from a common bond,

amongst our own brethren

occurred in front of our very eyes,

as we were disguised from ourselves,

by the lies and factions we upheld,

rather, than honoring our covenantal unity

within the fractured diversity of K’lal Yisrael.

The aftermath

of an overemphasis on gashmiyos,

and a decreasing allegiance to ruchniyos,

coupled with assimilation into the melting pot,

is made visible in the diminishment

of our religious identity,

until the time when our renewal

is at hand.

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Bare Earth

This barren landscape of the mind,

where time renews only those who have hope

in the ways of the ancient past

treaded by the sages of ages that still last

for the sake of the preservation of our heritage;

this bare earth, devoid of nourishment

soil, depleted by the wars that have wasted the land,

and the shores of distant beaches,

where the sands of time drift into the sea;

even the biosphere cries out on behalf of the world,

to renew the manifold aspects of creation –

mankind, the task begins with us,

through the renewal of the soul.

The Light Will Prevail

This year’s a different thing, – I’ll not think of you.*

Even though, I see the future in light of the past. And, although, that light is dim, a brighter one awaits upon the distant horizon. For, when the darkness seems to pervade the very bones, and drenches the psyche with its wear and tear upon hope, the promise of a new dawn becomes even more than a promise – for the track record of the prophets guarantees the fulfillment.

In December 2019, there had been a foreboding in my soul, when the lights of the menorah were dimmed on Chanukah, by the news of another intrusion of darkness, meant to quench the light that has spanned generations; yet, will continue to prevail, until the final triumphant day. Redemption is at hand in every moment of our lives. This eternal insight is what sustains me.

*Charlotte Mew, “I so liked Spring”

dVerse prompt

A Time of Renewal

Rays of the sun follow the dawn

tinting the clouds, pink and blue.

A snapshot of eternity

as manifest in the reality

of an early morning scene

that renders emotions serene.

Tea from the cupboard of life

soothes my soul, minimizes the strife,

that swirls inside of my mind,

bringing comfort in due time.

Reflecting on people and places

missed opportunities and faces;

seems like a universal principle,

that room must be made for the new.

One door closes, and another opens;

as Pesach approaches, the old is removed,

exchanging chometz for matzoh,

bringing renewal to the depths of my soul.

As tears are sanctified by joy,

the troubled years recede into the past,

while the sun rises over Ir HaKodesh

wherein all prayers ascend to G-d.

dVerse prompt

Dreaming of Potential

“In the desert, you can remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain.”

– A Horse With No Name, by America

In the desert of my life,

when all of the pain and strife,

drifted like dust, behind me on the path,

I began to see the light at last.

And, yet, it is not as you might think,

as if I was brought to the brink,

of my trials and tribulations,

only to find instant redemption.

Rather, the light exposes the darkness,

gradually, within the soul of the penitent with finesse,

bringing understanding in its wake,

to the disillusioned, yet, sated heart.

In my lowliness, I began to see

all of what has been plaguing me;

so, that each pathogen may be brought into the light

for scrutiny under the gaze of G-d’s brightness.

Instead of abandoning my past in denial,

I become transformed through all that is vile

in my personality, turning into its opposite,

like toxic negativity being replaced by virtue.

Ariel

A light shines across the centuries,

 a single thread, weaves a tapestry.

G-d reckons the accounts of all souls,

balancing justice and judgment

with compassion and mercy.

—– —– —– —–

All are known to Him;

for, if each and every one

of the myriad of stars in the universe

is given a name, then how much moreso

is every soul on earth valued

in the eyes of the Creator?

—– —– —– —– —–

Despite assimilation

in a world gone awry,

our lives may be rebuilt

upon the ashes of the past.

Our souls may be redeemed,

by He whose arms are wide open

to receive us into His Sanctuary.

—– —– —– —–

For He is our refuge in times of darkness.

Israel has continuously cried out to Him,

even from the smoldering ruins of the Shoah.

And he will bear us upon the wings of angels,

for all the days of eternity.

in the wake of recent terror attacks:

pray for the peace of Jerusalem

The Shoreline

Setting aside selfish sentiments,

to focus attention on the divine,

unearthing hidden resentments –

compelling the soul to transcend over time.

Like the waters on the beach,

receding into the blue ocean,

I would swim as far as I could to reach

a distant shore, where ancient memories blend

with a future envisioned by the prophets,

who saw the distant hope on the horizon,

and directed us to seek, as wisdom saw fit,

the entrance into the kingdom.

—– —– —– —– —–

The currents challenge us to navigate,

while the waves crest high with foam;

and, our arrival can only be estimated

by the tears that fall as we roam.

The promise of a place reserved,

beckons to us from that golden shore,

as we are called to rely on our faith,

to guide us through the door.

Our lives, akin to all who hear the call,

to enter into the ark of refuge,

provided by the One who created all,

to transcend the dystopian deluge.

All Things New

You make all things new;

even when our sight is dim,

and we cannot regain what is true,

for, we hear a bas kol, calling us again,

at the renewal of each and every day,

like Israel camped out on the land

who responded na’aseh v’nishmah,

“we will do, and we will understand.”

© 2023 all rights reserved

Hope Surfaces (revision)

When will I be free

from these shadows of the past?

When will I sing

of my freedom at last?

All that You have done for me,

is enthroned in my memory.

All that You are doing for your people,

will be enthroned for eternity.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Hope, is the mainstay of my life,

and the fruition of my thoughts.

Hope, will outweigh the strife,

that weighs heavily upon, my heart.

Hope, the champion of the future,

a prelude to ultimate victory.

Hope, is enough to suture,

the wounds, inflicted by misery.

Hope, will mend the broken fragments

of a life unduly shattered.

—– —– —– —–

Hope, will diminish the lament,

of those whose clothes are tattered.

Hope, designed to stich each patch,

and sew together the unraveled strands.

Hope, will help to gather all who are lost,

like collecting so many grains of sand.

Hope, will meld with faith,

bridging the gap in between.

Hope obtained, will never fade,

always contributing to the dream.

© 2023 all rights reserved

Soul Renewal

Livin’ life without a net,

who’s to catch me if I fall,

except the One, that I met,

to Whom I’ve given my all.

Renewal of the soul,

at the beginning of the day,

quieting of the mind,

as the light fades away.

Nighttime brings its own song,

in sync with the rhythm of the heart,

reflects upon all that we long for,

dreaming of a new start.

Livin’ life without a net,

who’s to catch me if I fall,

except the One, that I met,

to Whom I’ve given my all.

Every year, the world’s tears flow

like rain from unfamiliar clouds,

until, at the first light of dawn,

we hear Your voice call us home.

Upon the wings of eagles we glide,

in time with the prophetic cue,

brought to the place where we will reside,

in our hearts, singing a new tune.

Livin’ life without a net,

who’s to catch us if we fall,

except the One, Whom we’ve met,

and given to Him our all.

As nations gather together for war,

we will rise above all the flames,

in search of the world no man can char,

the Kingdom that fell is risen again.

One vision to guide us

through the darkness of the land,

One truth to abide in,

as we perceive His guiding hand.

Livin’ life without a net,

who’s to catch us if we fall,

except the One, Who calls out,

I request of you, your all.

© 2022 all rights reserved