Sonnet

Harden not your hearts as at Meribah.
As on that day at Massah in the desert.
Sometimes in dreams you can see far.
Sleeping you can still be alert.

This psalm the first sung in the morning.
Always brings memories of sleepy dawn monastery matins.
And joy awakening.
English vernaculars surfacing out of the Latins.

I dreamt last night I was walking in a city.
I passed an ancient beautiful synagogue.
I hesitated to enter, more the pity.
Here was some long lost truth I could not fathom through time’s fog.

And then this evening I sat alone in the darkening church.
Here was an atmosphere leaden with joyous mysticism to aid my search.

Haiku

Heart at Meribah
On that lost day at Massah
In the far desert