there are as many ways to view the new moon
as there are days in our lives.
to view a moon
a poet’s moon
you need only three things:
a silent spot inside you
a willingness to wait in the dark
and a wily nature that refuses to accept the “Man-in-the-Moon”
as the ultimate authority.
here is one way to observe the new moon:
settle upon a path from which to grasp
the handle of white gold waiting above
find a quiet spot inside your sight.
in the darkness, close your eyes
and cover them, as if blessing the shabbos candles
“Praised are You, O Shechinah
who parts the days of the month
calls attention to our covenant and helps us to be
a light upon the earth.”
then, slowly open your eyes
and behold the beginning
of time.
From Celebrating the New Moon: A Rosh Chodesh Anthology (Jason Aronson, 1996), p. 182.
