My attempt at an English kinnah for Tisha B'Av

imasinger

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 3:28 pm

Inspired by some threads here, and in the spirit of the complex structures of kinnos. Each line of the first verse becomes the first line of another verse. Each word of the first verse becomes the first word of each line, so that you can read the poem down as well as across.

Today, we mourn the destruction of dreams
Our sorrow and pain, how intensely they burn;
If only we found our way back to Hashem,
We beg You, cause all to connect and return!

Today, we mourn the destruction of dreams
We yearn for that day we won't have to cry;
Mourn for the losses; today it all seems
The best possibilities all have run dry.
Destruction of hopes we'd be rid of the weight
Of bitterness, anger, resentment and hate...
Dreams we'd be able to fly.

Our sorrow and pain, how intensely they burn.
Sorrow and anguish each miserable day
And whatever we try, however we yearn,
Pain is our recompense; trauma, our pay.
How do we live when we're screaming inside?
Intensely we dig at the cancers
They spread everywhere with self blame or false pride, and
Burn hopes of finding real answers.

If only we found our way back to Hashem
Only He knows what the future will hold;
We feed off of the demons within, nurture them;
Found baseless hatred, ignore what is gold.
Our fingers are pointed away from the source
Way off from the places that we need to see
Backbiting, avoiding the path and the course
To the union, connection that was meant to be...
Hashem, take these teardrops to mold.

We beg You, cause all to connect and return
Beg, for You see how we cry and we fast;
You see how we flounder, we struggle to learn;
Cause us to find You at last
All of my strength, I send up in this plea
To You, like whom there is no other
Connect us, for You make us able to see
And help us to value each other.
Return us to You, as in days of our past.

Today, we mourn the destruction of dreams
Our sorrow and pain, how intensely they burn;
If only we found our way back to Hashem,
We beg You, cause all to connect and return!

Last edited by imasinger on Thu, Jul 27 2023, 11:29 pm; edited 2 times in total

amother

White

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 6:32 pm

imasinger wrote:

Inspired by some threads here, and in the spirit of the complex structures of kinnos...

Today, we mourn the destruction of dreams
Our sorrow and pain, how intensely they burn;
If only we found our way back to Hashem,
We beg You, cause all to connect and return!

Today, we mourn the destruction of dreams
We yearn for that day we won't have to cry;
Mourn for the losses; today it all seems
The best possibilities all have run dry.
Destruction of hopes we'd be rid of the weight
Of bitterness, anger, resentment and hate...
Dreams we'd be able to fly.

Our sorrow and pain, how intensely they burn.
Sorrow and anguish each miserable day
And whatever we try, however we yearn,
Pain is our recompense; trauma, our pay.
How do we live when we're screaming inside?
Intensely we dig at the cancers
They spread everywhere with self blame or false pride, and
Burn hopes of finding real answers.

If only we found our way back to Hashem
Only He knows what the future will hold;
We feed off of the demons within, nurture them;
Found baseless hatred, ignore what is gold.
Our fingers are pointed away from the source
Way off from the places that we need to see
Backbiting, avoiding the path and the course
To the union, connection that was meant to be...
Hashem, take these teardrops to mold.

We beg You, cause all to connect and return
Beg, for You see how we cry and we fast;
You see how we flounder, we struggle to learn;
Cause us to find You at last
All of my strength, I send up in this plea
To You, like whom there is no other
Connect us, for You make us able to see
And help us to value each other.
Return us to You, as in days of our past.

Today, we mourn the destruction of dreams
Our sorrow and pain, how intensely they burn;
If only we found our way back to Hashem,
We beg You, cause all to connect and return!

Great job! Love it