Psalm of assent [Rachel Barenblat]

PSALM OF ASSENT

When the electric company lifted us
out of persistent darkness
we were as in a dream. Slowly
the pub emptied of burly men
from West Virginia and from Maine.

Still, you reminded me
to light the lamp, then turn it down:
the shortest days are still to come
and the prodigal son is running late
leaving the work in our hands.

It is not incumbent upon us
to finish the text, but
neither are we free to refrain
from adding today's letters
quills scratching in the lamplit dark.

---

Line seven donated by Kate Abbott. Thanks, Kate!

If you can't see the embedded audio player at the top of the post, you're welcome to download psalmofassent.mp3.

Comments

[Lawrence J. Epstein]

I like the way the poem seamlessly integrates a literal Jewish text and ties it to an artistic obligation to create texts. There is an interesting Jewish aesthetic theory somewhere in there.

[mitch s.]

many people don't realize that, after the final redemption, there will be a new torah comprised of the same letters as the present one but forming different words. the torah we have now -- like the god we have now -- is the torah we need and deserve. but try to imagine what will be in that new torah! one thing is certain: it will be downloadable!