* * *
Mi Shebeirach?
for Leslie Simmons
“Why bother”
___he didn’t ask but simply stated
___resigned at her bedside
“I believe
with perfect faith in
the Doctors and in
the Medicines, their Messengers,
God listens (or not)
but it doesn’t help, so
Why bother”
“Trust me”
___she didn’t simply state but asked
“I believe
It helps”
his hands clasped
___around her hand
his head bowed
___over her breast:
prayer enough for her.
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* * *
Emet V’Yatziv
a Sonnet
Enduring, Good, Miraculous, and Right
Is this eternal teaching of our flock:
Our God is Sov’reign, Shield, Redeemer, Rock,
Deliverer from Egypt’s callous might.
Now scientific logic would reject
That God abides, endures, exists at all:
“Forget the Exodus – that tale is tall,
A fantasy of some deluded sect.”
While reason has its place in human life,
And plays a healthy academic role,
It fails to elevate a person’s soul,
Or offer hope in anguish, love in strife.
Where science – dumbstruck – stalls, this Truth resounds;
With psalms of thanks and praise our prayer abounds.
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