Let us celebrate ourselves
Let us forgive ourselves
Let us rejoice in our imperfections
Let us be perfect despite (because of) our crack’d carapaces
and (despite) because of our fissured souls
Let us be gentle to ourselves
Let us speak softly, kindly to ourselves
Let us do all of those things
and yet strive to be better, next year.
Let us do all of those things
for ourselves, for others
Let us be who we are.
Let us be.
Tonight on dVerse Poetics, the wonderful Walt asks us to celebrate. We can mark a special national or international day, a day of faith (or no faith), or just celebrate our lives.
I have chosen to mark Kol Nidre, in my own very liberal Jewish way. Yom Kippur is marked by the Kol Nidre service at the (evening) start of this holiest of holy days. Translated, the Aramaic of Kol Nidre (meaning ‘All vows’) annuls any personal or religious oaths or prohibitions made by you to God for the next year, so as to avoid the sin of breaking vows made to God which cannot be, or are not upheld.
I have taken this and turned it into a celebration of our glorious imperfections, of the brokenness of being human. Make of it what you will – I enjoyed writing it very much.
I’m looking forward to reading what others have chosen to celebrate over on dVerse – why not take a look?
Freya Writes... 
YES. Let us, indeed. Wonderful.
May it be so! Well done, thank you!
As Capt. Picard said, “Engage! Make it so!”. Celebration of Self is too often neglected. We we’re on the same emotional page today it seems.
I’m looking forward to reading yours, Glenn.
The poem sings optimism and hope all on its own! ❤️ You rocked the prompt 😀
Thank you!
I join you in the celebration of gentleness and kindness ~ Let us rejoice in our imperfections ~
Note to Freya – Have you received my email lately ?
Hi Grace, thank you. No – I haven’t received an email from you…
Hi Freya, I have resent my message. Thanks !
We’re too harsh on ourselves, generally speaking.
I celebrate this celebration of all that we are.All of it. Well played madame.
Thank you!
An extraordinary expression here, Freya! For all our flaws, (I am less than wonderful, BTW) we are all children of the same life!
Thank you, Walt. And no… you’re not 😉
This isn’t just a celebration, Freya, it’s a prayer to ourselves. I found I had to say it aloud and it really spoke to me, especially these lines:
‘Let us be perfect despite (because of) our crack’d carapaces
and (despite) because of our fissured souls’.
Thank you, Kim, I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I love this. We need more kindness in the world, and if we don’t acknowledge our own faults and fissures, how can we care for others?
Thank you! I agree.
wonderful from start to finish.
Thank you!
Beautiful sentiment. I love this poem so much. 🙂
Thank you, CharlieZero x
So eloquently expressed. I initially wrote one about Yom Kippur and brokenness too, incorporating the sounds of the shofar, but went with something else and didn’t post it. Not sure why. This is lovely.
I’m sure your Yom Kippur poem was beautiful. However our muses sometimes take us in a different direction! And… thank you.
I guess I’ll save mine for next year, or something. 😄✌️️🌹
Oh I love this.. what a wonderful reason to celebrate… and find the reason to.
Thank you, Bjorn.
There is such beauty in the celebrations of Yom Kippur–a day we all need to celebrate (or perhaps need to celebrate daily). Blessings, Freya.
Thank you, Victoria.
Words to live by in thought and action, beautifully penned.
Thank you, Mish.