A Moment for Poetry

"The Earth in Spring" by Judah Halevi (1075-1141)

Then, day by day, her broidered gown

She changes for fresh wonder;

A rich profusion of gay robes

She scatters all around her.

From day to day her flowers' tints

Change quick, like eyes that brighten,

Now white, like pearl, now ruby-red,

Now emerald-green they'll lighten.

Now she turns all pale; from time to time

Red blushes quickly cover her;

She's like a fair, fond bride who pours

Warm kisses on her lover.

The beauty of her bursting spring

So far exceeds my telling,

I think sometimes she pales the stars

That have in heaven their dwelling.

(translated by Nina Davis)

Stream of Consciousness Poetry Moment

iwishyoucouldhavelookedmeintheeye
onmymosthonoredandspecialnight
iwishyoucouldhavebeenproudofME
insteadoffocusedonyourownanxieties

iwishyoucouldhaveworkedhardertogetwell
andmycheerleadingwouldhaveinspiredyou
iwishyoucouldhavemetmehalfway
insteadofexpectingmetofalltoyourlevel

iwishicouldhaveheldmyownmore
couldhavemaintainedmyintegrity
iwishicouldhavedemandedmoreofyou
insteadofgivingonlyofme

nowisthetimeforthedreamstocometrue
nowisthetimefornewchaptersandhopes
nowisthetimethatigettotellmyownstory
nowisthetimethatispreadmywingsandfly...

Soul Teachers

Pondering souls that meet each other
Those that follow each other through lifetimes
Souls that reside on the great Tree of Life
And are meant to encounter again and again.

Mothers, fathers,
Friends, mentors,
Others that aim to reach us, to teach us
A lesson for the soul's evolution.

Higher and higher I climb
With the help of the partner souls.
Find me in this life -
Thus the learning can begin

I await you.

Revenge?

I hope that your house loses power
that your computer catches a virus
that you get an itch on your back
on that one spot you can't reach.

I wish that a tree would fall on your parked car
that you would get a bad haircut
that a zit would grow on your nose
and get infected and last for weeks

I pray that your exciting plans get cancelled
that you catch a case of pink eye
that a beautiful framed print
falls on the tile floor and shatters.

Alas, I can barely wish you harm
Even in spite of myself.
The most I can wish for you, however:
I hope you one day feel what I feel.

One of my favorite poems

You know how sometimes a poem stays with you, long after you read it or heard it? This is one of those.

i carry your heart with me
by e. e. cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

Shabbat Poems for You

Welcoming Shabbat

Shabbat beckons with a promise of peace
Mind and spirit ready themselves
for the moment of liberation
that greets us each week.

Together, we take a deep breath
my friend's relaxation enables mine
As a group we welcome the Sabbath Bride
turning front to back, bowing in reverence.

Rejuvenate, renew and re-grow:
We anticipate the serenity
The song and words that warm our spirits
With candlelight, sweetness and shalom.



Silent Prayer

The stillness awaits us now
The moment of hushed commiseration with the Divine
How lucky we are to be afforded this opportunity
To close our eyes, breathe deeply,
And invite God into our Sabbath prayers.

In our silence, we receive Shechinah
Whose presence makes our space truly holy
In peace, we step through the Gates of Prayer,
And quietly enjoy these private moments of Shabbat.

And All That Jazz...

HOORAY! I am actually going back to Chicago tomorrow. When was the last time I was home? I can barely remember...aha, my cousin, Eric's, wedding in November. My brother, as I mentioned, is in a play, so it will be great to see him perform in a drama.

So, what's YOUR favorite quote about Chicago?

I figured that I would ask you all to name your favorite Chicago reference - song, movie quote, poem, etc. What's it gonna be? I can't wait to read your responses. FYI - Chicago suburban references count, too.

For your edification, I am posting one of Carl Sandburg's poems about the Windy City (thanks to carl-sandburg.com):


HAPPINESS

I ASKED the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell
me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of
thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though
I was trying to fool with them
And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along
the Desplaines river
And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with
their women and children and a keg of beer and an
accordion.