In “Kaddish”, Matthew Isaac Sobin considers language’s limits in both prayer and poetry as the speaker delves into the difficulties of myriad types of translating: not just meaning, but also spirituality, ritual, intimacy, grief. What suffices? When grief calls us, what language becomes enough?
“Let us bless transliteration
and chant
congregate right to left
to crest cold wind
[..]
Is one enough
to reach
the ear of God?”