8 Elul: Breath of Redemption by Alex Carter

Posted on August 21, 2026
Twice each day the sea upholds. Alex Carter. Breath of Redemption.

Turning

Twice each day the sea — 
the scarred lungs of our planet — 
advances
breathing out
to erase the sins
visited on the shore

Twice each day the sea
recedes
breathing in
to offer forgiveness
a chance to begin anew

Twice each day the sea
upholds
the Promise
that the waters will never again
overtake the land

Twice each day the sea
reveals
how small we are
and how great the consequences
of our actions

Twice each day the sea
reminds us
renewal is always possible
redemption is as close as breath
repair is but one step away

Alex Carter (she/her) lives and writes in Hyattsville, MD. Her work re/imagines LGBTQ+ folk into Jewish myth and lore, and explores identity, belonging, and connection. She has been published in Ritualwell and several anthologies, and was featured in the 2026 DC Pride Poems project. She believes you can never have too many notebooks.

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