They [penitents] draw upon themselves with a more intense longing of the heart, and with greater forcefulness, to approach the King.

– Zohar, Chayei Sarah I:129b

Sawed wood

the pounding of nails

a fresh brush of paint

the room exhales.

What had troubled the eyes

on account of glaring gaps

is now accounted

as a series of mishaps.

Dust and debris defy gravity

with drill and hammer in hand

renovations beyond expectations

a sort of contraband.

The rung on the ladder

upon which I stand

matters less than

repairs –

be they gray or grand.