Rosh Hashanah Greeting

 

The words take on an extra resonance this year
Normally, I see you
In the halls, at the doors,
In the rotunda, in the pews, at the store
My heart leaps, happy
To feel your presence
To see your smiling face

 

And like the coming light elicits birdsong
As the dawn brings on
Wakefulness and prayer
Shanah Tovah comes forth
From my heart and lips
It embraces you
Ties us together in a timeless dance
An eternal circle of lived memory
Of celebration

 

This year
I see you from a distance
Masked
I see you on Zoom
Our connection is
Muted. Disembodied

 

But the circle
The dance
The season
Draws me in
I have to dig in, to listen
But it is there
Shanah Tovah bursts forth
From my heart, my pen,
My computer pixels

 

I wish you a good year
A year of good health
A year of hope
A year of connection
However we find it

 

Whatever form it takes
May it be enough
To keep our souls singing
Our hearts happy
To rid the world of evil
And hate and lies

 

May it be enough
To tide us over
Until I can hug you again
To sit next to you
To sing with you
To pray with you
Our voices joined together
In celebration and love
Shanah Tovah!