Hear Me

Most beautiful one,
The one who loves me like no one else does,
Like no one wants to,
Like no one ever will,
You are all of this to me.
Hear me, watch me bow and straighten
Take three steps back and three steps forward.
Is this beautiful to your sight?
Am I beautiful?
Are you beautiful?
I declare this aloud,
but you know it to be true.
Divine one, most beautiful one,
The one who lifts me up.
I never thought I could be here
And be beautiful
And speak to you.

The ones that came before me,
On ships, in steerage,
Stuck on Ellis Island with chalk marks on their backs.
Gather me up with them,
As with Sarah, Rachel, Leah
And all the others in between.
My grandparents who escaped,
My grandpa’s brother, who died in a concentration camp.
He was trapped.
He lost you.

My dad told me the story of
The only time he saw his father cry:
Reading that letter from someone over there
With the news that his brother was dead. Starved, gassed,
I will never know.
My father did not know how to pray, and my grandparents refused to.
I will gather this brother close now
Hold him in my arms, as I am held up
By all of those saying these words with me.
Right now
Hold us
Lift me up
To say never again
As I hold him, as we hold him,
As we speak to you.

 

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email

Ritualwell content is available for free thanks to the generous support of readers like you! Please help us continue to offer meaningful content with a donation today. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Rituals

Shop Ritualwell - Discover unique Judaica products

The Reconstructionist Network

Jewish tradition is a storehouse of wisdom and practical application on how to navigate the world of conflict and how we respond to it. In this Immersion, we will explore what conflict transformation might look like in our times. Six sessions starting April 4th.

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.