In preparation for Yom Kippur, many immerse themselves in the Mikvah. The Mikvah empowers people to spiritually release what needs to be released, allowing folks to begin the new year with a clean slate. Here in South Florida, many of us plan to use the Atlantic Ocean as our Mikvah. E. E. Cummings’ poem, “maggie and millie and molly and may” (which you can find below), is the perfect blessing for any of us who are fortunate enough to use the sea as our Mikvah this new year. May we all find ourselves in the sea!
Shanah Tovah/Happy New Year and may you all have a meaningful Yom Kippur and fast.
maggie and milly and molly and may
e. e. cummings
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles, and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea
