Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SHOFAR ECHOES, by ANNETTE KOHN



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SHOFAR ECHOES, by                    
First Line: I'm but a child, and childish toys
Last Line: "in ""jacob's goodly tents"" shall dwell."
Subject(s): Childhood Memories; Jews; Judaism


I'M but a child, and childish toys
Make up the sum of all my joys—
But hark! while I am playing here
A strange sound falls upon my ear,
A note of music weird and wild,
And lo, I am a changeling child—
Where I stand with my childish feet,
The centuries around me meet;
Though fresh the laughter in mine eyes,
And on my lips, yet full of sighs
The air about me, and I seem
To live and move as in a dream.
With that strange music rise and swell
Old memories of what befel
The children of my ancient race.
The Shofar brings me face to face
With all the martyrdoms of old
That are in song and story told;
And as its tones ring shrill and loud,
They make me feel both sad and proud
That I am heir to all this woe,
That all this glory I should know.
And though I see strange children play
With all the baubles of the day,
I know I have more precious things;
My gifts are from the King of kings,
Whose angels He before me sent,
And to them of His glory lent.
The Shofar, hark! it tells my soul
That as the ages onward roll,
I more and more shall feel and hear
The Spirit's speech around and near.
My feet shall forward, upward press,
Until a perfect wilderness
Of flowers springs where'er I tread,
And blessings rain down on my head.

So may the Shofar peal on peal,
The heart unto itself reveal;
'Till thou again, O Israel,
In "Jacob's goodly tents" shall dwell.





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