Monday, December 7, 2015

54

Us against us is
the hardest thing in the end
and we must face this
though we prefer to pretend
that it is us against them

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Two Tanka For Vayeishev


They plot in Dotan
Say, "Here comes that dream-master."
Before he draws near
They plan to put him to death
And see what comes of his dreams...

--------------------------------------------

He saw they looked sad
so he asked why they were down.
And he was in jail
and this caring for others
was what brought his redemption.

Monday, November 16, 2015

The year is a ride
You start at Rosh HaShannah
And you end there too
Some ride the roller coaster
Others, the merry go round

Monday, October 12, 2015

50

My dad turned to me
in Shul on Shabbos morning
told me that man died;
the one who gave out candy
and set me up with his neice

I am so tired
Tired of disappointments
Ready to begin
I begin choosing wisely
Become less disapoonted

Sunday, July 12, 2015

48

An elderly man
via his sister in law
gave me a number
No age and no location,
amorphous information

Friday, June 26, 2015

Traffic buzzes by
The ambulance sirens rail
People check their texts
They look up for the buses
Then down at their stupid phones

----------------

Not for my honor
Not for my father's honor
But for Your honor
Yonatan ben Uziel 
said it, meant it, and it worked

Sunday, May 17, 2015

44-45

Freedom in freedom,
Is it the right way to go?
Wynton Marsalis shakes his head no
"No freedom in freedom," he says
"only freedom in structure"
It's de rigueur

Talmudic rabbis agree
This we must understand
In Egypt, Israel, any land
There is no free man
Without the Torah of G-d.

43

Structureless poems;
do they exist? he asks me.
I think of Wynton:
"There's no freedom in freedom,
only freedom in strucure."

Thursday, May 14, 2015

42: Tanka of Shame

We can be convinced
and shamed into believing
that we are no good.
Those who made us feel that way
are mistaken... What a shame.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

5 A.M.

All I want is more
(of many things- but not gas)
Now I want more sleep
At 6 I'll want my soul back
And to get to work on time

Sunday, April 19, 2015

40

My disappointment
with you goes back to day one
you may feel the same
and yet there is no one else
from that womb and from that house

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

39.

What about contests?
Is that old saying the truth?
Compete with yourself
But kinat sofrim is good
No man is his own contest.

October 23, 2008

38

Good Night and G-d Bless
Maybe give those words a rest
Go with something else
Maybe try "Nanu, nanu"
Perhaps, live long and prosper

- October 23, 2008

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

37

I have some questions
about when to ask questions
questions on questions
I like to let people feel
free to answer what's not asked

Monday, March 2, 2015

Tanka For a Friend

I ask how you are
I know you know I mean it
Because we are friends
And because you told me so
Even before you used words

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

35

Last night I dreamt of
grandma and grandpa again
and their apartment.
Maybe it's because my place
always reminds me of them.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

34

I'd put on a show
using my neighbor's house light
Pictures on the wall.
It ran for years, rave reviews
Sponsored by the Rosenbergs

33

I'm at the Kotel
22 forward and back
and I'm there for good
And now here I am. Here. Now.
I'm 52 and sleepless.

32

There's wisdom and pain
you can compartmentalize
but the pain must be
if the wisdom is for real
there's no way to not have pain

31

Built into my view
was the allowance for him
to be who he was
or so I like to pretend
but we each judge the other

30

If we all forgot
what we said and what we did
no one would write books.
That includes g-d and prophets-
if memory didn't count

29

Me on an island
just with one other person
Who might qualify?
Answer that, maybe I'll know
who I can be married to

28

A prominent Rav
once said poets urinate
then call all to see
Most of me is offended
and part likes his metaphor

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

27

Ease me back to sleep|
My G-d, G-d of my Fathers
May it be your will
that I now sleep peacefully
and awake, on time, with peace

26

I won't write of you
because i didn't call you
I hesitated
And now that you've passed away
Feels dishonest to reach out