The poems in this post are part of a special section, curated by Ori Z Soltes and Robert Bettmann, The Jewish Experience.
Jerusalem, Sept. 2. 2024
The stone glows rose
In the early morning
Like an open hearth
Its warmth
Welcoming little children
As they set out to school – first day
boisterous, backpacks swinging
Clutching parents’ hands
The stone blazes white
In the midday sun
Sirens blare, there’s grief everywhere
Parents gather for a funeral, to watch, to listen
To bear witness
On the sun-honeyed stone day wanes
Parents fetch their children, hug them
Tight, so tight
Others collect theirs, one last time
Six black body bags
As dusk, starless, descends on Jerusalem
Shadows darken the stone
Ronnie Scharfman 9/7/2024
Ronnie Scharfman is Prof. Emerita of French and Francopone Literatures, SUNY-Purchase. She has been writing poetry and midrash with Alicia Ostriker and Sharon Dolin for many years. Her chapbook, “In Poem and Prayer,” was published in 2013. Her poems and translations have appeared in “The Jewish Women’s Literary Annual, ” “Opposed to Indifference” (Haybarn Press), “Daughters of Emily” (Haybarn Press), “Angles and Naked Vision” (Haybarn Press). She was part of the first cohort of poets at the inaugural Yetzirah conference in Asheville, N.C., 2022.
Featured image in this post: PikiWiki Israel 77344 sunrise from rooftops in the jewish quarter, רונית איתן, creative commons via wikimedia commons.
