Tikkune

The crimes of body, heart and mind reflect
Upward into my soul. My spirit strains
To fly on high while tethered from below.

To make a change in spirit I must make
A change in how I live; the world of soul
Can not be whole if leaking like a sieve.
The holes in soul must be repaired before
It can begin to soar. To fill the holes
I made with thoughtless acts of years before,
I must atone for wrongs I’ve done. To free
My soul for flight I must begin with me.

And so I chant the Aleph-Beis and do
My work the best I can; I volunteer
My time to help advance my fellow man.
I question all my motives, I exa-
Mine all my fears. I keep my rage in check
So I won’t be the cause of others’ tears.
I strive to keep integrity in place
So I can give my soul a little grace.

With every act of good I do, my soul
Lifts up a little more. I know the day
Will come when it will finally learn to soar.

— Stace Johnson, 1997