Poetry Archives

Atonement Day—evening pray’r—sadness profound.
The soul-lights, so clear once, are dying around.
The reader is spent, and he barely can speak;
The people are faint, e’en the basso is weak.
The choristers pine for the hour of repose.
Just one—two chants more, and the pray’r book we close!

And now ev’ry Jew’s supplication is ended,
And Nilah* approaching, and twilight descended.
The blast of the New Year is blown on the horn,
All go; by the Ark I am standing forlorn,
And thinking: “How shall it be with us anon,
When closed is the temple, and ev’ryone gone!”


[* Ne’ilah, (Hebrew) Conclusion, concluding prayer.]