Psalm 119

             The world is created by the letters
              and answered  by the sounds.
                           — Rabbi Fetner
                Epigram in God’s Ear by Rhoda Lerman



Aleph
Bet
Gimmel

        It began with a breath,
words to create—
a yin and yang,
hot and cold,
hard and soft,
 then opposites
reconciled with words,
edges filed until smooth


Dalet
Hey
Vav

        Up ahead a door, a gate—
open and enter,
 ride the merry-go-round,
grasp the brass ring,
connect to the universe,
to creation


Zayin
Chet
Tet

      Struggle with  possibilities,
depths and heights
Your soul uncovers
the good in creation
even if you stumble



Yod
Kaf
Lamed

     Seek the spark hidden
buried beneath rubble
contained in a cupped hand—
waiting for your spirit



Mem
Nun
Samech


     Dive into  water
let the flow
meld into your heart
It is the spark within your body,
a symbol from creation,
 a mark—a tattoo




Ayin
Pey
Tsade

     Use your eyes to see clearly,
speak of what you see,
use words with care
life resides
within each syllable
Be a lover whose words
caress the beloved



Kof
Resh
Shin


      Unwrap the ordinary
to find the kernel,
to seek holiness,
to flow with the spirit,
transformed and new,
to unearth the tree of life



Tav

    It begins with bereishit,
in the beginning
The final letter a tav,
a symbol of completion—
the last letter of the alphabet

Yet begin again from the first word—
an invitation
to stand again at Sinai