(Rosh haShanah this year coincides with the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 catastrophe in which almost 3,000 people lost their lives in one day, hundreds of children became orphaned and thousands more people would go on to lose their lives to 9/11 related illnesses. While this poem was not written about that event, I believe the message of these lines can offer some solace on this day).

1. Winter
In the beginning God created a great abyss of yawning time.
Heaven and Earth,
Then, gifted us cycles,
Evening and morning.

2. Spring
And the cycles repeated,
Moon dancing between earth and sun,
The judges declared it a month.
Then the earth reached a conjunction with celestial bodies,
And the Torah named it a year.

3. Summer
We gather together as last year kisses the next.
We bless, drink and rejoice,
An apple, some honey
A symbol, a wish.

4. Autumn
Tomorrow we gather together
In reverence, to pray and to praise
To incline our ear to the Teruah call,
Then, to live our new year with hope,
with hope,
and with hope.

Howard E Friedman
-30-