Rosh Ha-Shanah
‘The head of the year’
a ‘day of blasting’
on the first day
of the seventh month
as we are taught
in the Torah. [1]

Halfway through
the cycle of months
the year
turns
a milestone moment
for us to pause
and turn
our heads
to our hearts
beating
to every shofar blast
the roar of ‘T’ki’ah’
broken ‘Sh’varim’
the rapid-fire of ‘T’ru’ah’ [2]
wordless missives
from
beyond
calling us
to account
for all we have done
and failed to do
in the year
now past.

This moment of
beginning
again
demanding
our attention
presence
acknowledgement
response
as we turn
with due caution
towards
the future
we must forge
out of
the remorse
within us
the debris
around us
the wilderness
before us.

Elli Tikvah Sarah

[1]: Leviticus 23.24, Numbers 29.1
[2]: The ‘notes’ blown through the shofar, the ram’s horn, on Rosh Ha-Shanah morning.