Hello Pyfkah. This clearly concerned with your Day of Atonement. 

I assume the first opening line is the Scapegoat, to which we attach all our sins.

There is a nice cross connection with the third stanza through the repetition of " wilderness". The women folk kept from sinning by being removed from temptation, kept in the home. I understand kittel as some form of ceremonial dress. The food dreams are invoked by the abstinence of the day, fasting being part of the ritual, I understand. The white light towards the end is the forgiveness won. A cleansing, a renewal, a rebirth. I love the placing of the mundane white shoes in all this tense ritualism, a touch of the humanity of the poet entering the poem. A good read for which thanks , my friend. Arthur. -----Original Message----- 

From: The Pennine Poetry Works on behalf of Ryfkah * 

Sent: Thu 30/09/2004 04:56 

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Subject: New: Atonement







	Atonement

	

	Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take

	but by the number of moments that are breathtaking.  –Anonymous

	

	The goat released to the wilderness

	

	I put on white shoes

	the ones Mary gave me

	because they didn't fit

	

	The men wear their kittels

	buried in tradition

	married to women

	kept in the home

	out of the wilderness

	

	Dreams of barbecue

	banana splits

	candy bars

	even hard boiled eggs

	

	Who by earthquake

	Who by fire

	Who by sword

	Who by AIDS

	

	We plead pardon

	

	White light bounds

	a gold crown dances

	

	My soul recreated

	

	Ryfkah 9/29/04