Just in case you forgot, our recent Bad Poetry Contest netted us a vast and diverse — if not encyclopedic — collection of all kinds of poetry. Joel Magalnick, the editor of Seattle’s Jew-ish.com, emailed us this choice nugget, which I asked if it was okay to reprint. We’re honored to have read it, and we really love the combination of goodness and “bad”-goodness that surrounds this poem…much like the holiday of Yom Kippur itself.

Kappara

As I pick up the chicken
The bird begins its journey
Around my head. Again and again.
I twirl it faster, faster, faster.
My sins melt away with each spin
With every feather flying
Another one releases itself from my heavy heart
Faster, faster, faster
I have many sins this year
For which to atone.
And already one for the next,
For as I begin the new year
with a light heart and a heavy arm
I have killed the chicken.
I have killed the chicken.

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