Cargo

 

For Rachel Hadas   Old wounds leave good hollows Where one who goes can hold Himself in ghostly embraces Of former powers and graces Whose domain no strife mars— I am made whole by my scars For whatever now displaces Follows all that once was And without loss stows Me into my own spaces   Samuel Menashe     From The Niche Narrows: New and Selected Poems, Talisman House, Publishers

February 6, 2014

I’m taking off the snow boots

After wearing them all day

Sixteen hours of togetherness

With two pounds of shoes at play

They looked up at me in disbelief

As I slid downhill to my ride

They accompanied me as I taught

They can testify that I tried

They helped me walk for exercise

As we navigated the snow

They stayed attached for my after-school class

I hope they enjoyed the show

Long after I got home

I kept these snow boots on

Along with my tie and sweater

Overdressed- feeling worn and gone

I wish to have something deep to share

My attempts at such thoughts are rife

I thank my boots for their company

As I thank my G-d for this life

I've never read tea leaves
or pinched the moon
I've never learned the sitar
or whistled my signature tune

But I have understood your heart
and shared my eye with you
I've walked inside your essence
and earned my point of view

- written Jan 9, 2013

Life has no real breaks
as long as time’s being spent,
till death does its part.
And even then life goes on,
it’s not like someone has died.

 "Librans are poets,"

she wrote, and
it spoke to me

and then I started to see...
my father
was he a poet...

He?
He was a Libra like me,
from a different time...

He did his poetry in mime.

Long or short day,
Thank You either way

Days aren't short or long
Gifts from G-d can't be wrong

 Thoughts On Poetry

1. If you can write,

you can write a poem

2. A poem is

a collection of words

coming together and apart

via your hand, head, and heart

3. Your souls is

(naturally) poetic.

4. Forgetting nothing helps.

5. Maybe forgetting everything helps too.