This Star of David for people in Exile
For those decimated by centuries of horror
And unimaginable cruelty by dominant cultures
Once symbolized protection from all harm
It is now a star of intolerance and retribution
Hatikva, once a song of hope for the Diaspora
A poem adopted in the 1st Zionist Congress
As a national anthem, it is a warning to neighbors
Of military might without compassion or remorse
An anathema to to people of the West Bank and Gaza
Red hair and black leather
My favorite color scheme
I miss the way you danced with me
But missing is not enough
I miss the way you held me close
Yet missing is not enough
I long for more of everything
And nothing is enough
I miss the way we laughed
words blur together
congealing
before eyes
brimming
with the sea
held back
by clustered
lashes
a stream spills down
pockmarked cheeks
lined with years
spilling onto
crisp paper
lips tremble
in silent
defeat
as a vice
grips the chest
caved in
from decades of
memories
a wet gaze looks up
at an apparition
from the past
but the present
commands
attention
to itself
it calls for
just a squiggle
on pristine pulp
but hands
paralyzed
with grief
cannot move
threats flew in
that stifling air
biting syllables
that rend
and tear
sign the damned papers
the hand moves
as unvoiced wails
rise up
from that
caved in chest
it is done
As trade and business are collocated
with innovative ornaments
and made capable to bloom a wide smile
from lips to ears
on the stern face of my father-
a clever businessman,
so he was pompous to demonstrate
his flying colors
to me and my grandfather
saying,
‘’See, the change and enjoy it’’
tempting me to start
enjoying the positive changes cropped up
in the number of factories,
the quality of input,
the size of output and market
and above all
the figure of a bank balance
while my grandfather is depressed
looking at the same images on his mirror
the same fate of an honest partner,
the same long hanging tongues
of the clever partner and a wild fox
shaking their tongues with a dramatic laughter
and the same declining rate of share
for the candid partner
who felt good to regard his friend as a partner.
Another hot day at
the playground filled
with shrieks from kids
tumbling down slides.
Shouting boys hop on and
off the whirling carousel
as girls sing songs to
double dutch jump rope.
Waiting for my chance
on the swing. Finally
one is free as I clutch
the metallic link chains.
I pump myself up
pushing pass trees,
feeling cool breezes
brush over me.
All the noise is far below
as I rush towards
blue skies. My feet are
walking on clouds now.
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An air of bother persists
An atmosphere stifling
Strangling
Conjuring thoughts of suicide
As the authoritarians break into the mind
Stealing all originality
Scaring all individuality
Praying on the sickening sameness
Claiming victory over the trampled souls
This bother now expounded
Exaggerated
As the leviathan continuously feeds off the weakened souls
Hapless victims now overcome
Crowds maddened
Souls enraged
Anger unnamed
Longed-for deviation
Battles lost.