Poem: "What You're Living For"
Apr. 22nd, 2017 12:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem came out of the April 18, 2017 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from siliconshaman. It also fills the "magical / mythological creatures" square in my 4-3-17 card for the ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
origfic_bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. It belongs to the Clay of Life series.
"What You're Living For"
Menachem and Yossele
visited the city of Siegburg
to shop for the tools of their trade,
for it was not always easy to find
what they could not make themselves.
They sorted through dies and swages
made from the highest-grade of tool steel.
Menachem even let Yossele pick out
a few, such as one that made acorns
to decorate the ends of rods.
As they were passing a pottery shop,
a statue of a woman suddenly
turned and looked at them,
and they realized it was
not a statue but a golem.
"Oh, she moved!" said the potter.
"She hardly ever moves any more,
not since my parents passed away."
This golem was not made of regular clay
but rather the finest porcelain, so pure
that the sun shone through her white flesh.
Delicate paints had given her blue eyes,
rosy cheeks and lips, even hair in shades
of lighter and darker brown. Gold leaf
wrote across her forehead: בִּלְהָה.
"Bilhah," said Menachem.
"Is that your name, then?"
Bilhah the golem nodded her head.
Yossele hovered anxiously around her,
his sturdy form thick as an oak beside
her slender, willowy grace.
"Why does Bilhah no longer move?"
Menachem asked the potter.
"When my father grew frail,
he created a golem to look after
my mother, who was also unwell,"
said the potter. "Bilhah served them
very well, but after they were gone,
she had nothing to do. I am young
and strong and need no help.
So she just stands there."
Yossele seemed miserable
at this news, and he gave
Menachem a pleading look.
The blacksmith thought about it
for a few minutes, mulling over
what Bilhah could do. Clearly she
was too delicate for guard work,
which is what most people
expected golems to do.
Then Menachem realized
that he was being a fool.
"Bilhah, there is no reason
that you cannot continue your work,
just because your first job is done," he said.
"Certainly it is sad that your maker and
his wife have passed away, but there are
many more people whom you could help.
It is a mitzvah to visit the sick."
Bilhah shifted again, slowly
and stiffly, but growing smoother
the more she moved. The idea
seemed to interest her.
Menachem turned to the potter.
"Do you have any objection?"
"No, of course not," she said.
"Bikkur holim is important. I am
sure my father would be honored.
Bilhah, please feel free to extend
your service to the sick in this city."
Yossele stroked Bilhah's cheek,
and then waved a hand around
the bustling street in query.
"I have no idea where to go or
who needs visiting," Menachem said.
"Let us search for a doctor, who will be
certain to know such things."
The potter gave them directions,
so Menachem and Yossele gave Bilhah
a ride in their wagon because she was
in no shape to walk that far.
When they explained the situation,
the doctor was thrilled to gain
the assistance of a golem
experienced in looking after
people who were old and frail.
"You will need to work out
some way of communicating,"
said Menachem. "It took a while
for me and Yossele to do that --
we use signs and some writing
for the most part now."
"Yes, of course," said the doctor.
"I'm happy to help Bilhah find
a new purpose in her life.
If you don't know what you're
living for, you haven't yet lived.”
Bilhah's painted lips curved in a smile.
* * *
Notes:
"If you don't know what you're living for, you haven't yet lived.”
– Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of blessed memory
Blacksmith tools include a wide variety of products such as dies and swages. A die has a raised pattern on the end; you put it against the metal to be marked and hit the other end with a hammer, leaving a sunken impression. A swage has a hollow that you stick metal into and hit it, leaving a raised shape; clapper or tong swages have two matching hollows, so you stick the bar between them and hit the outside to make a three-dimensional shape. Check out this acorn swage.
Porcelain is a fine white clay. It has a long history around the world.
Jewish pottery comes in a variety of styles. Blue, brown, and verdigris are popular colors. Porcelain is used for things like seder plates that may be decorated with vivid colors and scenes. See one with and without its matching cups.
Everyone needs a life purpose. Follow the steps to find yours.
Visiting the sick, or bikkur holim, is a mitzvah. Understand how it works.
siliconshaman. It also fills the "magical / mythological creatures" square in my 4-3-17 card for the origfic_bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. It belongs to the Clay of Life series."What You're Living For"
Menachem and Yossele
visited the city of Siegburg
to shop for the tools of their trade,
for it was not always easy to find
what they could not make themselves.
They sorted through dies and swages
made from the highest-grade of tool steel.
Menachem even let Yossele pick out
a few, such as one that made acorns
to decorate the ends of rods.
As they were passing a pottery shop,
a statue of a woman suddenly
turned and looked at them,
and they realized it was
not a statue but a golem.
"Oh, she moved!" said the potter.
"She hardly ever moves any more,
not since my parents passed away."
This golem was not made of regular clay
but rather the finest porcelain, so pure
that the sun shone through her white flesh.
Delicate paints had given her blue eyes,
rosy cheeks and lips, even hair in shades
of lighter and darker brown. Gold leaf
wrote across her forehead: בִּלְהָה.
"Bilhah," said Menachem.
"Is that your name, then?"
Bilhah the golem nodded her head.
Yossele hovered anxiously around her,
his sturdy form thick as an oak beside
her slender, willowy grace.
"Why does Bilhah no longer move?"
Menachem asked the potter.
"When my father grew frail,
he created a golem to look after
my mother, who was also unwell,"
said the potter. "Bilhah served them
very well, but after they were gone,
she had nothing to do. I am young
and strong and need no help.
So she just stands there."
Yossele seemed miserable
at this news, and he gave
Menachem a pleading look.
The blacksmith thought about it
for a few minutes, mulling over
what Bilhah could do. Clearly she
was too delicate for guard work,
which is what most people
expected golems to do.
Then Menachem realized
that he was being a fool.
"Bilhah, there is no reason
that you cannot continue your work,
just because your first job is done," he said.
"Certainly it is sad that your maker and
his wife have passed away, but there are
many more people whom you could help.
It is a mitzvah to visit the sick."
Bilhah shifted again, slowly
and stiffly, but growing smoother
the more she moved. The idea
seemed to interest her.
Menachem turned to the potter.
"Do you have any objection?"
"No, of course not," she said.
"Bikkur holim is important. I am
sure my father would be honored.
Bilhah, please feel free to extend
your service to the sick in this city."
Yossele stroked Bilhah's cheek,
and then waved a hand around
the bustling street in query.
"I have no idea where to go or
who needs visiting," Menachem said.
"Let us search for a doctor, who will be
certain to know such things."
The potter gave them directions,
so Menachem and Yossele gave Bilhah
a ride in their wagon because she was
in no shape to walk that far.
When they explained the situation,
the doctor was thrilled to gain
the assistance of a golem
experienced in looking after
people who were old and frail.
"You will need to work out
some way of communicating,"
said Menachem. "It took a while
for me and Yossele to do that --
we use signs and some writing
for the most part now."
"Yes, of course," said the doctor.
"I'm happy to help Bilhah find
a new purpose in her life.
If you don't know what you're
living for, you haven't yet lived.”
Bilhah's painted lips curved in a smile.
* * *
Notes:
"If you don't know what you're living for, you haven't yet lived.”
– Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of blessed memory
Blacksmith tools include a wide variety of products such as dies and swages. A die has a raised pattern on the end; you put it against the metal to be marked and hit the other end with a hammer, leaving a sunken impression. A swage has a hollow that you stick metal into and hit it, leaving a raised shape; clapper or tong swages have two matching hollows, so you stick the bar between them and hit the outside to make a three-dimensional shape. Check out this acorn swage.
Porcelain is a fine white clay. It has a long history around the world.
Jewish pottery comes in a variety of styles. Blue, brown, and verdigris are popular colors. Porcelain is used for things like seder plates that may be decorated with vivid colors and scenes. See one with and without its matching cups.
Everyone needs a life purpose. Follow the steps to find yours.
Visiting the sick, or bikkur holim, is a mitzvah. Understand how it works.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-04-22 06:14 pm (UTC)I think you've added a little clarity to my life.
Thank you!
Date: 2017-04-22 06:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-04-22 09:19 pm (UTC)Finding a purpose may become important after I retire at the end of next week.
Thank you!
Date: 2017-04-22 09:51 pm (UTC)I'm happy to hear that.
>> Finding a purpose may become important after I retire at the end of next week.<<
That is an excellent goal. People have different purposes at different life stages, and if you miss the switch, the drop is horrible. Some thoughts:
* If you have grandchildren or other littles in your life, I highly recommend The Grandmother Principles. Much of its wisdom generalizes beyond the core topic.
* If money is tight, consider activities which can generate a little extra money but don't require the commitment of full-time work.
* If money is not an issue, look at hobbies or volunteering. Do the stuff you always wanted to do but didn't have time for while working.
* Spiritual activities are also a great idea, for personal fulfillment and thinking about the next life.
* Socialize. If you have access to people worth being around, it's very helpful to have a strong support network.
* Consider your legacy. You may wish to spend time consolidating what you have learned or gathered and then passing it on. Some people teach or write books, others look at how to pass on a collection, etc.
* Give back to the world. Gardening and other environmental activities are both fulfilling and beneficial.
* Activism. Some people wait until children are grown and other major obligations met, before indulging in the kind of vigorous boat-rocking they really want.
I have found this batch of worksheets very insightful for personal development. They work just as well for post-career planning.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2017-04-22 11:54 pm (UTC)The worksheets look as though a few of them might be useful.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2017-04-23 12:43 am (UTC)That sounds awesome.
>> and a little writing. My life isn't really interesting enough for a memoir, though I might inflict one on the world anyway, <<
As a historian, allow me to say that the experiences of regular folks are just as illuminating and important as those of famous people -- but far less often preserved, which makes them quite valuable in a different way.
>> and I'm not much good at fiction, but poetry and nonfiction would work.<<
If you look under My Work, you'll find a lot of information about poetry and how to write it in the subpages.
>> The worksheets look as though a few of them might be useful.<<
Yay! I'm happy to help.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-04-23 01:52 am (UTC)The footnotes make it even more interesting. Copy/pasting those to keep for later because I'm sure I'm going to keep coming back to them.
Thank you!
Date: 2017-04-23 02:04 am (UTC)Yay! I'm happy to hear that.
>> The footnotes make it even more interesting. Copy/pasting those to keep for later because I'm sure I'm going to keep coming back to them.<<
:D I'm glad I could help.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-04-23 06:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-04-23 07:35 pm (UTC)Those last two paragraphs… Lovely!
I, too, am going to copy and save your long list of suggestions .
Thank you!
Date: 2017-04-23 07:44 pm (UTC):D
>> Those last two paragraphs… Lovely! <<
I'm glad you enjoyed this so much.
>> I, too, am going to copy and save your long list of suggestions . <<
Happy to help. \o/
(no subject)
Date: 2017-04-23 07:47 pm (UTC)DO NOT USE Hands to hold under a power hammer.
Ohhhh yeah!
Well...
Date: 2017-04-23 08:10 pm (UTC)Aaaand I just remembered my vision-impaired readers, so I'll have to go back and edit that.