“Stop the words of hate.”
–Rabbi Jeffrey Myers,
Tree of Life Synagogue
Until I heard the rabbi’s voice,
nothing is what I seemed to feel;
then he led me into the silence,
the sorrows of six thousand years;
and he told me its living shadow
was the book that informed my soul
and said it would be fair to sit
alone, marking the silent hours
with lit candle and my strange words;
for though I could not speak their tongue,
he taught me that the grieving heart
speaks everywhere a single prayer;
and he welcomed me seven days
into their house, and called me David.
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J. David Cummings lives in Menlo Park, CA with his wife, Christine Holland, who is also a poet. He has written poetry for many years and has one published collection, Tancho, from the Ashland Poetry Press.