These are the things I remember
But, I don’t want to remember them –
the hard times, the sorrow, the loss –
This year has been hard enough
though some years have been easier
for me, maybe,
but not the world
or for the world, maybe,
but not for me
and not for everyone
everywhere
ever
simultaneously –
which makes more sense.
Do you have to be murdered
to leave a blessed memory?
0r do we all suffer enough?
A minyanThe group of ten adult Jews needed to read from the Torah and to recite some of the most important communal prayers. In Orthodox communities, a quorum of ten men is traditionally required. Today, most liberal Jewish communities count all Jewish adults as part of a minyan. of martyred sages
burnt books
burnt bodies
All those who died so we can be free
And all those we killed
All these things
I don’t want to remember
I want to remember
the sunny days
the spring showers
and smiles and laughter
and cake–
lots of cake
chocolate cake
with icing
The hard times return with every season
but the grass withers
the flowers fade
the leaves fall
our dreams vanish
and our light wanes.
So let me remember
what seems so fragile –
the blessings I cherished
the blessings I need.
