Poem for Friday

Answer Us
By Rachel Adler

Answer us, Hidden Light, answer us.
Answer us, Searcher of Hearts, answer us.
Answer us, Bestower of Lovingkindness, answer us.
Answer us, Souls' Core, answer us.
Answer us, Majestic Splendor, answer us.
Answer us, Faithful and Whole, answer us.
Answer us, Who remembers Her little ones, answer us.
Answer us, Life of the Universe, answer us.
Answer us, Secret and Pure, answer us.
Answer us, Who fashioned us in the womb, answer us.
Answer us, Crown of Secrets, answer us.
Answer us, Heart of the Seas, answer us.
Answer us, Who brings good news to Zion, answer us.
Answer us, Tiger with Her cubs, answer us.
Answer us, Sukkah of Peace, answer us.
Answer us, Helper of the Destitute, answer us.
Answer us, Who spreads Her wings over us, answer us.
Answer us, Rock who birthed us, answer us.
Answer us, Near to those who call Her, answer us.
Answer us, Healer of Broken Hearts, answer us.
Answer us, Shekhina Who dwells among us, answer us.
Answer us, Our Hope and our Beloved, answer us.

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The traditional prayer "Avinu Malkenu" is often translated "Our Father, Our King" and asks a patriarchal image of God to hear and answer the prayers for redemption of the repentant. This version of the prayer, "Aninu," addresses God in feminine and gender-neutral imagery.

It's a good thing I don't believe that God sits in judgment or I'd be fretful for my soul after this distracting, ridiculously stressful Yom Kippur. My father did not go to services, having an upset stomach which I think is one part still being angry at my mother and one part having eaten the very things she advised him not to eat the day before, hence his being angry. It was calmer without him there to gripe at us but he is usually the one who barges ahead and gets seats close to the ridiculously massive stage that passes for a bimah, and since the crowd was even worse than Rosh Hashanah due to the side hall being closed for renovation and the lobby being so packed I almost had a panic attack, we ended up toward the back at quite a distance from the proceedings. I am sure it must be possible to have a spiritual experience anywhere, even in this synagogue, but it has never happened to me yet. In fact the most inspiration I have generally received during High Holy Day services has been ideas for fan fiction.

The kids apparently did not eat enough breakfast, either, and are clearly not old enough to fast, because they were insanely hyper on the drive downtown and sitting in the miserable traffic while trying to find parking, then they were headachy and unhappy on the drive home because they were so hungry. We fed them some junk, then we went to a friend of my mother's house to break the fast, which was nice for a little while but the entire extended family of my parents' oldest friends who are usually at this event did not come -- the older son because he had broken his leg, the middle and younger children because they did not want to schlep out in the rain with their own children -- so our kids were the only under-35s there, and they were bored out of their minds in short order. We took them home when they were too rambunctious for anyone else to enjoy themselves (mother's friend's new husband has one adult child with whom he has no relationship whatsoever and I do not get the impression he enjoys having kids around, let alone loud boys).

Watched Smallville which was infinitely better this week than last week because any episode with this much Lionel can be forgiven for a lot! I love Clark so much more when he's involved in twisted psychosexual situations rather than Lana idiocy (and I hope they never kill him off again, because watching Kristin Kreuk pretend to cry is just not something I can sit through again). Lex slamming his father all over his cell, however, was much hotter than it had any right to be, and then Lionel with Jor-El in his body! Hugging Clark! While Lex sat at home stewing in his Clark obsession -- Lana's little hissy "leave my boyfriend alone" fit doesn't seem to have made any impression, thank god, and I just adore watching Lex manipulate her. (Lex-->Clark reminds me of Harry-->Draco. *veg*) Are there spoilers on who's getting killed, and when? I figure it can't be Lois or Lex for canonical reasons, probably not Martha or Jonathan either, and Lionel isn't exactly "close" to Clark, which pretty much leaves...Chloe. Which would suck, but how many times can they threaten to kill her off in a season? Am betting they won't kill off Lana no matter how much I would enjoy the show without her. After Smallville we all watched "Return of the Archons" so I can review it tomorrow, and, again, I am struck by the fact that There Is No Substitute for Original Trek. And Kirk in those period clothes, with his hair falling over his forehead! My first love! Now that was a perfect way to end the day: Kirk meets god, kills god. A popular theme of the show!


I just love looking at the ships in Baltimore Harbor through the legs of the model dinosaurs in the Maryland Science Center.


Here is a scene that one supposedly could see nearby the same spot several million years ago, based on the fossil evidence...well, the dinosaur fight, not the skyscrapers and ships out the window.


And here are the schooners, menaced by skulls.