Creative Hallel

Tonight at the seder we will read or sing the psalms of Hallel. (At my house we'll do some reading, some Hebrew, some English poetry of praise. Tomorrow night at the synagogue's community seder we'll probably sing excerpts from the psalms in Hebrew.)

It's customary to pray the psalms of Hallel at Pesach morning services, too. If you might not be going to shul tomorrow morning, or if you might be looking for a different take on Hallel, here's something I wrote a few years ago:

2. (114)

let all offer praise
to what brings us forth from constriction
when we remember to say thank you
the hills and horizon dance.

3. (115)

You spun the heavens on Your unthinkable loom
and fashioned the elements of creation with Your deft hands

the heavens are Yours
but the earth is in our keeping

the dead can't praise, but we can
help us remember

 

You can read the whole poem cycle here: Six poems of praise (Hallel).

(And if you like these, keep an eye out for my new collection Open My Lips, due out later this year from Ben Yehuda Press!)