I wont be around for the next few days because this week end is the Jewish new year. LASHANA TOVAH to my Jewish friends.
Below is a poem I spent the most time on of any poem I have ever written. A poem usually takes me 10-20 minutes, even my longer ones take me an hour. But this one, this one was emotional for me.
A story
9-6-09 finished 9-14-09
Jonathan
It was holiday time, all of my family gathers on this day
The adults were mingling while the children were at play
I sat off in the corner listening to the chatter
Conversations about sports, school, work and there was laughter
Sipping on my Manischewitz wine
It was almost time to dine
Rubbing my old white hair
Arthritis pain everywhere
My daughter Stephanie calls everyone in for dinner
Her husband assists me in, He’s a true mench and winner
I’m seated at the head of the table
So many faces, I think everyone should have a name label
My son Ryan sits to my right
He’s an accountant , he’s doing alright
Next to him will be his wife Sofia, but she’s in the kitchen, helping with the food
She works part time at a bakery, she’s always in a happy mood
Stephanie brings out the salad, She’s a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher
Remember she’s married to a business man, his name is Allan Bleacher
To my left are friends of the family, the entire crew
Bob is a banker and his wife Linda is too
Next to Linda is Sidney
a friend from the temple who I see at the pharmacy
And his lady friend, I forgot her name
She’s a cute little thing, green eyes with a red main
My grand children are at the other end
There’s Jonathan who’s in college, Harvard he attends
David sits next to him, he is a senior in high school
I guess we ran out of chairs because the boys are sitting on stools
Across the table are my beautiful girls
There is David’s sister Leah, a high school freshman with curls
Just like her mom, she wants to be a school teacher
Last is Rebecca, the baby of the family
She feels like she has to compete with Jonathan, she’s smart, athletic and ok, she talks loudly
The girls collect the salad bowls
Not because they are told
Stephanie and Sofia bring out the dinner
They made turkey, it’s always a winner
Followed by the Kugel and brisket
There is still Mash potatoes and green peas to come, I’ll still be full when I move into my casket
Taking a little bit of everything and eating slow
Sipping on my wine, hopefully no one will know
Listening to the conversations, or that which I can hear
Stephanie, can I have some water dear?
The food is all so good, as it always is
I heard David talking about some computer program, he’s a computer wiz
He is probably going to MIT for something to do with computer and space
I think he’ll live at college, he wants his own place
Bob talks to Sidney about this catcher the Redsox acquired
I noticed Sidney is wearing a RedSox Yarmulke to top off his attire
I wonder if I can get one
Finishing up dinner, the women clean off the table
I know there is still dessert but I doubt I’ll be able
Ryan starts brewing the coffee
His wife puts on water for tea
Once everything is cleaned off and put away
The desserts will be in play
David comes over to me and asks what I want with my coffee
Two sugars and a cream, He whispers to me “you see Sidney’s lady?”
I just grin knowingly
Ok gramps, I’ll get that for you
She is dressed like a tramp, it’s true
Stephanie comes over and asks if I would like any dessert
I’m thinking, only if you want me to burst
No thank you, David is getting me coffee
That will be good enough for me
Everyone is commenting everyone else on the baking
HMMM My back is aching
I clear my throat, “I want to tell a story”, I say
The room fell silent, everyone looking my way
“I first want to say how happy I am to have my family and friends here
All happy and in reasonably good health, I’ll try not to tear”
A few nods, a few agreeing smiles but no unwavering attention
“I want to tell a story about my duration
65 years ago, I was living in Russia, I was 18
was off to prepare for the Soviet army, not knowing what this would mean
I hugged my father Mordecai and kissed my mother Sarah
I wasn’t sure what was in store, I knew I wasn’t going to see the French Riviera
With a large bag of my belongings on my back and a yarmulke on my head
I was ready to prepare for the Soviet army, win or be dead
I reported to my captain
He told me, “wearing that thing is a sin”
Referring to my Yarmulke
I thought he was joking, I laughed, haha
No joke with that hard face of stone
“remove it” he said with a harsh tone
I did not understand
I removed it, in fear of being killed by this man
He Pointed to a door with the great star of David
I was so excited, you’d think I just got accepted to Harvard
I went in and acted cool
I saw lots of men totally hairless and thought, that is cruel
I started feeling sick to my stomach as I realized this wasn’t right
I came here on behalf of the Soviet army to prepare to fight
Two strong and clothed men asked me to follow them
I’m not sure what happened next, but I felt naked as a leaf with just it’s stem
I stood in the corner, too shocked to even cry
I now wondered if I was going to die
We were all ordered to walk single file
Across the warm tiles
And into jam packed trains
I felt right then, at that moment, I had lost my brain
A bunch of naked to the skin men jammed in this car
I knew that we weren’t all going to make it far
I did not want to be one who would never see their family again
I want to live life, have a career, get married and have children
So I had to make a plan to escape
I knew I could, I’m in great shape
I have to be smart about it too
What am I going to do?
I see a forest ahead
I’ll jump, run and pray I’m not dead
My body sweating with anticipation
Breathe, breathe, I need a vacation
My heart pounding in my throat
This is all she wrote
It is now or never
This restriction, I must sever
My mother guiding my bike so I do not fall
My father kicking a football
My school house teacher giving me a sticker for doing a good job on the spelling lesson
My friends adding the last of the tree house addition
Shots being rain down at me
My eyes are unfocused, I can not see
I know I just have to hide behind a tree
Think I have a bullet in my leg, it is all red
Could have been a better shot, at least it isn’t in my head
I can now stop to rest, the train is gone
I see little animals, I can hear a bird singing a beautiful song
Sitting on the forest’s ground
Not sure where I am, not sure what town
I pray to the lord, saying the Shama as I close my eyes
Exhausted, tired and hungry but at least I’m still alive
I woke up, feeling refreshed and ready to go
But where? I don’t know
Looking up at the sun, calculating the time with the season
It’s about 7, heading away from the tracks for good reasons
My stomach telling me to eat, but what? Nothing around
My eyes seeing a berry bush, feeling gleeful for what I found
Eating a few, they taste so good
I am so hungry, I could eat them all but not sure if I should
Unsure when or where I would eat again, I indulge my desire
With dark starting to creep over, pondering if I should start a fire.
Because I have slept not too long ago, realization hits
I’ll be up for a while in total darkness if I don’t fix it
Remembering survival skills my father taught me
In no time I made a fire from a tree
I know odds are against me
I have to just keep praying and believing and I’ll be free
“Shama yisrahal, idoni elohanu, idoni ehad”
Coming back to the here and now, I open my eyes
In the dining room of my daughter’s, some had tears but everyone looked surprised
Confused at first, as if I had just awoken from a coma
Quickly I realized I wasn’t 18 years old in Russia
My face was previously without emotion
I smile with a notion
As I am sitting here in Andover
I say to my family, the worst is over
After a few days I found a clearing, someone’s back yard
There was some clothes hung up on a line, I found getting them down was hard
I figured wearing some stranger’s clothes was better than the state I was in
Hoping someone would do a Mitzvah and take me in
Unsure who’s door I was knocking on
Whether they would welcome me in or if I’d be gone
I knocked on their door
Hearing shoes tapping on the floor
I see this beautiful woman open the door a little
I know I’ll have to answer a riddle
I told the woman my name, lying at first
Internally hoping for the best and not the worst
I tell her that I am on a mission, I am no harm
Standing at the door, she remained calm
Started wondering if she spoke my language, she still have not spoke a word
I was ready to give up, and turn away when I heard
Come on in please, my name is Gabriella
I wondered if this was going to disappear, like in Cinderella
She opened the door wide but quickly closed it behind me
I had to make sure you were not a gunman, take a seat please?
I looked around, a simple family room
A few couches and a broom
I guess she was cleaning
I thanked her and she quickly disappeared
Sitting on a couch, I thought, this is weird
She came in after a while with a bowl of soup and water on a tray
You look sickly, she said, I hope you will stay
I graciously except the food and thanked her, she sat across from me
After some small talk and eating the soup slowly, I told her my story
She was in tears, she told me her family left a week ago
She’s been wondering when they’d be home, and now she knows
I went over and consoled her
Will you please stay? She whispers
I said I would, I had no where to go
A few month later we migrated to Ellis Island, I did carpenter work, I became a pro
Gabriella got a job in a bakery, she certainly knew how to bake
We both worked long hours, it wasn’t easy for us
I had to walk to work, couldn’t afford money for a bus
(looking down at the kids)
It was like that song you use to play
You know Jonathan, it was your favorite, or at least you use to say
Was it we found each other to pray?
Jonathan laughed and says
You mean living on a prayer?
Ah, yes, you know I can’t hear
We were living the American dream
It wasn’t always cookies and ice-cream
But we had each other and that was enough for love
Anyways, we worked very very hard saving money and eventually we got married
Gabriella started putting on weight, we realized a baby was being carried
We were so happy and we had a baby girl
Stephanie changed our world
A few years later we had Ryan and he was a pain
He always wanted to be entertained
Sofia laughs, “Nothing has changed”
Everyone laughed too
But it is true
Unfortunately, as everyone knows, My Gabriella is now in a better place
I miss her terribly, she was my savior, my love, my soul mate my rock and my ace
I know I will see her again someday
I talk to her every night when I pray
I want to thank you all for gathering on this night
The food and service was such a delight
Most of all, spending time with my family and friends
These moments are what I will remember till the end
LaShana Tovah
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