Places 34: A 20th Century Psalm
upside down, inside out, this dyslexic generation drums, hums, whirrs and stirs— beats against all biorhythms scrambling nations, mixing stations— yet our ears still strain to hear. whirring blades and turning belts, clacks, sloshes and slaps, breaking rattles, sudden bangs, uneven tocks, bizzes, roars and hisses like unwanted kisses whelm motors past exhaustion— Lord, where is […]
Places 33: On the Border
On the Border Between Israel and Syria, looking toward Damascus I was forever changed. A humility of purpose, Love’s proprietary gain, remained. Lying there, an unclean woman, face down upon the land, my fingers stroking dust, rubbing such fine grains of earth— they felt like silk, slipping against my thumb, sliding between my fingers. […]
Places 32: At Masada
Inside the jambling noise of tourists and tour guides a little group, in quiet, slowly stepped aside. They stood, in silence. Then five strong sons of Abraham moved as if one man. Each hurled a stone high, high each flew, as if with wings five stones of earth rose high into the distant blue. Then […]
Places 31: Jacob’s Chutzpah
At Peniel 2021 revisions from Israel and the Chutzpah of Jacob. The original of this was an unwieldy four-page history. I Wrestling with God is fearsome. Have we courage to try? Remember the story of Jacob, a man who dared God — and cried, “Touch me, bless me, lest I die” Will we wrestle through […]
Places 30: A New School
Morning Recess on my first day in Eighth Grade in a New School in a changing neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois in 1952 A big blond tough, her skirt pulled taut to muscled thighs, her skintight tee-shirt stretched to fit big curves inside, approached me with an open grin. She roughly demanded, I follow her, so […]
The Pentateuch
In 1982 someone asked me to summarize the Pentateuch. I wrote this poem—a quick romp through Genesis and Exodus—and forgot it. Recently a couple copies surfaced in old files. I had fun revising it and know a few readers will like it. It’s a niche piece, not for everyone. Unless you know Genesis and Exodus, […]
Places 29: Ancestry
The revisions of “Marks of Ancient Boundaries” in Places 2011 turned into nine comments on family genealogy. I Seeking to discover who we were, turning through old maps and deeds, searching Ancestry.com and 23 and Me, links on our computer screens traced strokes of fading inks. Savoring our yesterdays, we documented real people— with real […]
Places 28: Our Father, Our Lord
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11 KJV Our Father, Our Lord As gently as a mother draws an infant to her breast, as surely as soft arms […]
Places 27: Malice toward None
In 1970, when divorce, PTDS after traumatic violence (intervening to stop an attempted murder), the deaths of my dad and both grandmas and other inexplicable events and significant losses all hit me within eighteen months, I crumbled. At one darkly threatening moment, I feared losing total touch with my mind’s hold on objective reality. I […]
Places 26: Facing the Rain
I couldn’t revise Facing the Rain. It was right the first time. In Places in 2011, it was a reader’s favorite. It’s not made-up. It’s a real poem about me and my Mom. To my mother Once, in the beginning, we stood on the front porch facing into the rain close and warm watching together safe […]
Places 25: Good Morning
Good Morning What? Waking me up before the dawn, expecting me, to praise, to forget myself and sing Your song? No early bird am I. Deprived of rest, shivering in wintry cold wanting warmth and heat to thaw my frigid hands and feet— You say to seek for song? I come up short in weakness […]
Places 24: You Will Know Me
Revisions of You Will Really Know Me Waiting Often I have sought You— pushed aside the lures of night, fought to find Your Glory light. I’d wait with seeking heart until Your Love would find— to realign my weary mind. Today, I’m tired of waiting, encased in aching aging bones, my weary soul waits on, […]
