Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SHOFAR ECHOES, by ANNETTE KOHN First Line: I'm but a child, and childish toys Last Line: "in ""jacob's goodly tents"" shall dwell." Subject(s): Childhood Memories; Jews; Judaism | ||||||||
I'M but a child, and childish toys Make up the sum of all my joys But hark! while I am playing here A strange sound falls upon my ear, A note of music weird and wild, And lo, I am a changeling child Where I stand with my childish feet, The centuries around me meet; Though fresh the laughter in mine eyes, And on my lips, yet full of sighs The air about me, and I seem To live and move as in a dream. With that strange music rise and swell Old memories of what befel The children of my ancient race. The Shofar brings me face to face With all the martyrdoms of old That are in song and story told; And as its tones ring shrill and loud, They make me feel both sad and proud That I am heir to all this woe, That all this glory I should know. And though I see strange children play With all the baubles of the day, I know I have more precious things; My gifts are from the King of kings, Whose angels He before me sent, And to them of His glory lent. The Shofar, hark! it tells my soul That as the ages onward roll, I more and more shall feel and hear The Spirit's speech around and near. My feet shall forward, upward press, Until a perfect wilderness Of flowers springs where'er I tread, And blessings rain down on my head. So may the Shofar peal on peal, The heart unto itself reveal; 'Till thou again, O Israel, In "Jacob's goodly tents" shall dwell. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD A LITTLE HISTORY by DAVID LEHMAN FOR I WILL CONSIDER YOUR DOG MOLLY by DAVID LEHMAN JEWISH GRAVEYARDS, ITALY by PHILIP LEVINE NATIONAL THOUGHTS by YEHUDA AMICHAI SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 2. ANGEL ... by MARVIN BELL |
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