The World Is On Fire

 

“To those who do not know the world is on fire, I have nothing to say. “

—Bertolt Brecht

How can I pray for peace?

The world is on fire. 

The grotesquely smooth faces,

Plump lips and square jaws

Of the new rulers,

(And their aspiring lapdogs)

Grin at the grief and discomfort 

Of the Not Them. 

Incensed at being told to share power with

The not white,

The not Christian, 

The not men and

The not rich,

They attack. 

All lies and no mercy,

Enjoying destruction and revenge

Like five-year-old boys

And thirteen-year-old girls,

They torture the innocent.  

I hate these guys,

Canny yet stupid 

(The second worst combination )

And with no shame, 

But so much anger and violence. 

They believe themselves to be

Mandated by their medieval god

To rule in perpetuity,

Inhumane yet boring

(The worst),

The heart boggles. 

I am to say a peace prayer

While these monsters are in charge?

I can’t 

I won’t 

Don’t be stupid. 

The world is on fire. 

Amen

A Nice Shabbat Nap

 

A weekday nap is time stolen

From schedules and chores. 

Okay

But a temporary fix. 

A Shabbat nap, however, is a choice 

To fulfill an obligation to the

Holy

In the mitzvah of deep rest. 

You must set the alarm for the weekday nap

Nod off for a second then

Wake!

The day must continue. 

But the Shabbat nap has no end

You may sleep until you’re done. 

Enjoy

Your sweet and holy vacation. 

Blessed Mystery,

There are no worries for tomorrow

There are no regrets from last week

Only

This nice Shabbat nap.  

Amen

Make It So

 

“A poem cannot stop a bullet. A novel can't defuse a bomb. But we are not helpless. We can sing the truth and name the liars.”

~Salman Rushdie

May God bless you and protect you!

May God deal kindly and graciously with you!

May God shine God’s face upon you and grant you peace!

—The Priestly Blessings 

May God bless you and protect you!

Be a good Jew,

Sing the truth!

This life should be so beautiful. 

May God deal kindly and graciously with you!

Be a naughty Jew,

Name the liars!

Enjoy saying no. 

May God shine God’s face upon you and grant you peace! 

We are here in obligation and doubt,

We are not helpless!

We are not alone. 

Ken y’hi ratzon

We will be whole,

We must try!

Make it so.

Amen

Hard Times

I’m proud of anyone who is brave 

but I understand anyone who isn’t, 

especially if it might be an 

existential decision.

Hard times.

Shall We Find Out? (A Prayer For Restorative Justice)

If I call you stupid

Will that make you smart?

If you call me a bully

Will that make me kind?

If I speak first

Will that keep you from talking?

If you go on and on and on 

Will that make me understand?

If we call ourselves religious,

Will  God be on everyone’s side?

Shall we find out?

What happens if we listen 

To understand?

What happens if we differ 

And the world continues to turn?

What happens if we learn

To live with discomfort?

What happens if we love each other

Even if we disagree?

What happens if we admit 

That sometimes we are wrong?

Shall we find out?

Amen

Holy Wholeness

Psalm 85:10

“Kindness and truth have met, 

Justice and peace have kissed.”*

Imagine a circle. 

Pick a point on the circle,

Any point. 

Call that point, HELLO. 

Start at Hello and travel

Around the circle

To the point just before Hello. 

Call that point, GOODBYE. 

Hello and Goodbye kiss. 

Mwah!

Call that kiss, PEACE. 

Call the circle, SHALOM.

Imagine kindness,

Truth and justice and

Imagine peace. 

Call this, HaSHLEIMUT. 

Imagine Holy Wholeness. 

Imagine Sacred Completion.  

Imagine Eternal Connection. 

Call this, GOD. 

Mwah!

*Translation by Robert Alter