My wife and I stroll
to the end of the pier
overlooking the Gulf
and lean over the railing
gazing at the blue sea
and at the dozens of fish
swimming beneath
its glittering surface,
their fins and tails
swaying this way and that,
and we toss our twigs
into the water
as if they are our sins,
our souls, like the fish,
swaying this way and that,
caught between life and death,
between what was
and what will be,
not knowing what will come—
clouds or sun,
rain or blue skies,
high waves or calm seas—
not knowing if
the all-powerful sea
will show mercy to us,
to the fish—
to all living creatures—
and refrain
from washing us away,
each of us
at this season
peering into the deep,
beseeching God
to spread a shelter of peace
over us as a new year begins,
hoping to be granted
the chance
to stand here again
next year,
still breathing, still alive.
Note: Tashlich is a ceremony performed at the Jewish New Year when Jews toss pebbles, sticks, or bread crumbs into flowing water to symbolically “cast off” their sins from the previous year.
We at Bearings Online invite you to join us in marking the holy feast of Rosh Hashana with this poem by Bruce Black and the ten days of reflection culminating in the day of atonement, Yom Kippur, when we will post another of Bruce Black’s poems.
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Audrey says
Having lived in Sarasota many years, now in Virginia, I love your word picture of standing by the Gulf, tossing your twigs into the water. We no longer live near the water, but are enjoying the natural beauty of Virginia. I’ve often made the comment while we’re driving around the countryside here: “I don’t think there is any spot in Virginia that isn’t beautiful!”