This thing reads more monotonally than much of anything I've read in awhile; that is, it sounds like the sort of Latin stuff the priests would throw at us in my Catholic youth, at the end of which we would obediently chant together (as the poet does here as well) "Amen".

That is not to say that it is boring, but that it is sermon-like, as Richard suggests. As well, it teaches me all that I probably need to know about Yom Kippur, so, again, it is sermon-like in that fashion as well.

Even so, there is much to like about the phrasing, although I have a few issues as well.

To wit:

I am not sure (in fact, I am fairly certain to the contrary) that all sin is callous, cruel, stubborn, joyless, not to be sacrilegious, of course. I have enjoyed a few things that are considered sinful by one religion or another, to be candid, but not so often that I went blind.

alphabet of woe is a wonderful phrase. I wish that the previous line had substantiated it somehow.

the words of your mouth/and the memories of your heart is cliche-ridden and even nonsensical, although others will argue, perhaps, that words can come from elsewhere than your mouth, and that memories can come from other than your mind. I know, I know! It is a poem!

the desert in your heart is great, while the sacred from the profane is trite.

I don't know how one can be as numerous as the sands and the stars. I am hopeful to be enlightened.

morning will come, I first read as mourning will come, and find this provocative. It is right about at this point that I began to imagine politics and war and division and strife being a big part of this poem. "I didn't wanna do it," as the song goes, but right about there it happened. Visions of 1973. I will leave it alone, however.

It is in that light that I subsequently read remain standing, which makes that a much more powerful phrase, to my mind, albeit, perhaps, the most powerful one regardless of how you read the poem/sermon/lesson.

Take care.

There's a danger of falling into incantation in anything this seasonal but for any reader for whom May the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart be acceptable in thy sight, Over I or any variation of that famed reggae lyric (By the Rivers of Babylon, made famous by The Melodians)carries weight, memories is poignant. We're told (ok, by wikipedia, but still) that maintaining a memory of ceremonies from the Babylonian Temple has significance in observance of this holiday. And there we wept, when we remember Zion. I first saw that movie The Harder They Come, which featured the song, about 1973. As it happens. There's a fine line between the classic and the cliched, I guess.

S: not to be sacrilegious, of course. I have enjoyed a few things that are considered sinful by one religion or another, to be candid, but not so often that I went blind.

(Hey, it’s a free world. Perhaps we all have our own particular letters in our “alphabet of woe”). I can be sacrilegious, without compunction, if I think it is called for. I can pillory and skewer with the best of them (or at least try).

I love a good sermon. Here’s one I particularly like: Yom Kippur Sermon (link)

Oh, yeah, the poem. Do I have to add wandering from the poem to my woes?

I think this poem can be as simple or as deep as someone may care to meditate on it. Perhaps ritual and liturgy may be mistaken for cliché.

Re ritual, liturgy, and cliche, a great point. If it was a sermon I would be more strongly inclined to buy in.

Great point, nonetheless.

Take care.

falcon - great musical/lyrical reference! I still listen to that album. It's one of the few I actually bought also on CD. Jimmy Cliff was a great reggae artist who labored in the shadow of Bob Marley in the US market. Many Rivers to Cross on that album was covered by Linda Rondstat on Heart like a Wheel.

Gotta love Pressure Drop by Toots and the Maytals too.

the line, "May the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart be acceptable in thy sight," is taken straight out of Psalm 19, verse 14, where it is immediately followed by "O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer."

So much for one's cultural references. You do know that "To everything there is a season," but not the "Turn, turn, turn," is from Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, don't you?.

Should I go on?

"I don't know how one can be as numerous as the sands and the stars. I am hopeful to be enlightened."

The answer is "by faith" -- please see Genesis 15 in the Old Testament and Hebrews 11 in the New Testament. It was said to Abram and Sara, whose descendants through Isaac and Jacob know something about Yom Kippur.

the line, "May the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart be acceptable in thy sight," is taken straight out of Psalm 19, verse 14, where it is immediately followed by "O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer."

So much for one's cultural references. You do know that "To everything there is a season," but not the "Turn, turn, turn," is from Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, don't you?.

Should I go on?

S: Thanks re: the rituals and liturgy.

I have a very dear L.A. friend who is very involved in yoga, meditation and eastern philosophy. She has physical and mental tools she utilizes (let’s call them rituals and liturgy) to explore her “internal spaces” (her words). She sends me CD’s, by a teacher she is studying with, for my edification (we have mutual friends who traveled on a pilgrimage to India with this guru). I giggle uncontrollably every time I even attempt to begin this “CD journey”. Yet, I don’t blame the tools.

Maybe rituals and liturgy are tools and we must build our own sermons (We do anyway don’t we?). Anyway, that’s what I have created out of the poem so far. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it think.

Maybe rituals and liturgy are tools ...

Liturgy means the work of of the people. Its usual connotations are the worshipful work due to God by His people.

Most liturgies contain symbolic and sometimes sacramental rituals, which are actions repeated to manifest a meaning.

Waltz: Liturgy means the work of the people. Its usual connotations are the worshipful work due to God by His people.

In the tradition in which I was raised the Eucharistic Rite is an example of liturgy. In my first post in this thread I included a link: Yom Kippur Sermon . (Those who have read it, or choose not to, pass it by). Yom Kippur is a communal liturgy as well as a personal experience, I agree. Each community (and each individual) chooses how they will define “worshipful work”.

One could do worse than choosing Yom Kippur, by Schultz, as a personal guide; even if one were a non-literal "believer" such as I.

HAP, it was not to the ancient liturgy of Yom Kippur I was referring my definition of liturgy, but to this:

friend who is very involved in yoga, meditation and eastern philosophy. She has physical and mental tools she utilizes (let’s call them rituals and liturgy)

while her Yoga may be worshipful and ritualistic, it isn't liturgy, as liturgy is the work of the people, as in community.

I'm a little disappointed more PFers didn't like this poem. I wonder if the pro-Yom Kippur threads have influenced anyone just a little bit?

Waltz: You don’t know Joyce (oops!) and you don’t know her community. She made me pinkie-swear I would not watch even one minute of the Olympic Games…which I did not. A pinkie-swear is a pinkie –swear. She is a community, in and of herself (or at least a force of nature), and Waltz, she is in a community. And her liturgy is beautiful…even though it makes me giggle…

I loved the poem…know why?…WE ARE ASKED.

Pro Yom Kippur? Waltz!!!! See my first post under Soccer's thread, Go to the link. Dang!

i am sorry, HAP. after my exhaustive top post and a few associated threads, all my thinking and comprehending is used up for the day.

reviving myself for a minute, i have to agree and agree again. i, too, love "we are asked." i've heard that man's freewill is a double edged sword aimed at the heart of God.

we are asked.