Type: Poem

“Life is a precious jewel…”

“Morning mist makes its presence known…”

“We arrive at Sinai, but we don’t get to stay…”

The first time I heard the voice of the Infinite One // I thought it was a mountain falling.

Vast floods cannot quench love; // rivers cannot drown its life-weaving power.

Only Torah, our tradition teaches, is sweeter than honey, // its aroma and taste more desirable than gold, // its devarim eternal

From sea to shining sea, each one meant to be // blessed, possessed, with life and liberty // But between the premise, the promise, and reality // there exists an abyss of inequality

I reach to you, stumbling // on stones, on translations.

One day it was all too much, // the princely façade cracked at the sight // Of overseers doing what they really do // when no one is looking. // The lash laid fiery welts along the back of a slave // And Moses felt the burn.

Were you there, in wisps // of dreams that eluded me? // Maybe you’re off doing whatever // soul work awaited you. Or poof, // evaporated.