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ysabetwordsmithThis poem came out of the December 5, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from janetmiles. It also fills the "Yugawaralite - Energy Under Pressure" square in my 2-1-23 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by librarygeek. It belongs to the series Clay of Life.
Warning: This poem deals with Jewish expulsion, although it has no graphic violence onstage. If this is a touchy topic for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Defeats, Expulsions, Persecutions, and Pogroms"
The roads were covered
in dust and desperate people.
Once again, the local king had
determined to drive out the Jews.
Menachem and Yossele did not have
a farm to burn or windows to break,
for they were just traveling blacksmiths
who went where they were needed.
Still they felt the anger and grief
of the people here, as bitter
and familiar as the sea.
What now? Yossele signed.
"Now we watch and we listen,"
said Menachem. "That way, we
will find out where people are
going and how we can help."
So they watched and listened,
taking in the news as people
and gossip swirled around them.
It was not as if this was new,
after all, Jews had been
cast out many times.
They knew how to hide,
how to gather information,
how to choose a new direction.
This time, the trouble was
coming down from the north,
so that way was closed to them,
even those countries that had
not yet turned against them,
as it always tended to spread.
South, of course, was proposed
just because it was away from north.
West was discussed, but that had
turned drier in recent years, so
people there might not welcome
a lot of new mouths to feed.
"East," some whispered,
and others, "South and east."
So Menachem followed those
and learned of a rumor that
some people were trying again
to make peace in Jerusalem.
Again? signed Yossele.
But that never seems to work.
Menachem patted him on
the shoulder and said, "Well,
let us go and see anyway."
You still have hope that it may
work this time? signed Yossele.
"Jews have survived all the defeats,
expulsions, persecutions, and pogroms
through the centuries in which they were
regarded as a pariah people, because they
never gave up the faith that one day they
would be free to live as Jews without fear,"
Menachem replied. "So yes, I still hope."
The idea spread through the refugees
as they packed up their things and
hurried out of the towns, striving
to stay ahead of the soldiers and
those who had once been neighbors
but were now turning into enemies.
South and east, they looked for
a destination and a thread of hope.
The crowds milled and thrummed
with energy under pressure.
Every night, Menachem
set up his portable forge and
did whatever he could to help.
When the wheelwrights and
wainwrights were overwhelmed,
he made hubs and springs
and other wagon parts.
When there were casualties
and no wood to be had because
it had all gone to feed the fires, he
made braces and crutches of iron.
When the soldiers got too close,
he made swords and knives
to replace those that had
been confiscated in town.
Menachem made horseshoes
and nails and shod the horses.
He mended worn cookpots and
created camping kits that had
clever utensils nested together.
He even made simple toys and
puzzles from the scraps to keep
the little children busy while
their parents worked.
And Yossele?
The golem did what
he was made to do:
He protected the Jews.
* * *
Notes:
"Jews survived all the defeats, expulsions, persecutions and pogroms, the centuries in which they were regarded as a pariah people, even the Holocaust itself, because they never gave up the faith that one day they would be free to live as Jews without fear."
-- Jonathan Sacks
Read a list of expulsions and exoduses of Jews. HIstory repeats itself repeats itself repeats itself like a scratched record.
Jerusalem is considered holy by Jews, Christians, and Muslims who nonetheless tend to fight over it. Periodically people get exasperated by this and try to make peace. Who knows, maybe someday it'll work.
A wheelwright is a craftsman who builds or repairs wooden wheels and makes other bentwood projects.
A wainwright or cartwright is a trades person skilled in the making and repairing of wagons and carts.
janetmiles. It also fills the "Yugawaralite - Energy Under Pressure" square in my 2-1-23 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by librarygeek. It belongs to the series Clay of Life.Warning: This poem deals with Jewish expulsion, although it has no graphic violence onstage. If this is a touchy topic for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Defeats, Expulsions, Persecutions, and Pogroms"
The roads were covered
in dust and desperate people.
Once again, the local king had
determined to drive out the Jews.
Menachem and Yossele did not have
a farm to burn or windows to break,
for they were just traveling blacksmiths
who went where they were needed.
Still they felt the anger and grief
of the people here, as bitter
and familiar as the sea.
What now? Yossele signed.
"Now we watch and we listen,"
said Menachem. "That way, we
will find out where people are
going and how we can help."
So they watched and listened,
taking in the news as people
and gossip swirled around them.
It was not as if this was new,
after all, Jews had been
cast out many times.
They knew how to hide,
how to gather information,
how to choose a new direction.
This time, the trouble was
coming down from the north,
so that way was closed to them,
even those countries that had
not yet turned against them,
as it always tended to spread.
South, of course, was proposed
just because it was away from north.
West was discussed, but that had
turned drier in recent years, so
people there might not welcome
a lot of new mouths to feed.
"East," some whispered,
and others, "South and east."
So Menachem followed those
and learned of a rumor that
some people were trying again
to make peace in Jerusalem.
Again? signed Yossele.
But that never seems to work.
Menachem patted him on
the shoulder and said, "Well,
let us go and see anyway."
You still have hope that it may
work this time? signed Yossele.
"Jews have survived all the defeats,
expulsions, persecutions, and pogroms
through the centuries in which they were
regarded as a pariah people, because they
never gave up the faith that one day they
would be free to live as Jews without fear,"
Menachem replied. "So yes, I still hope."
The idea spread through the refugees
as they packed up their things and
hurried out of the towns, striving
to stay ahead of the soldiers and
those who had once been neighbors
but were now turning into enemies.
South and east, they looked for
a destination and a thread of hope.
The crowds milled and thrummed
with energy under pressure.
Every night, Menachem
set up his portable forge and
did whatever he could to help.
When the wheelwrights and
wainwrights were overwhelmed,
he made hubs and springs
and other wagon parts.
When there were casualties
and no wood to be had because
it had all gone to feed the fires, he
made braces and crutches of iron.
When the soldiers got too close,
he made swords and knives
to replace those that had
been confiscated in town.
Menachem made horseshoes
and nails and shod the horses.
He mended worn cookpots and
created camping kits that had
clever utensils nested together.
He even made simple toys and
puzzles from the scraps to keep
the little children busy while
their parents worked.
And Yossele?
The golem did what
he was made to do:
He protected the Jews.
* * *
Notes:
"Jews survived all the defeats, expulsions, persecutions and pogroms, the centuries in which they were regarded as a pariah people, even the Holocaust itself, because they never gave up the faith that one day they would be free to live as Jews without fear."
-- Jonathan Sacks
Read a list of expulsions and exoduses of Jews. HIstory repeats itself repeats itself repeats itself like a scratched record.
Jerusalem is considered holy by Jews, Christians, and Muslims who nonetheless tend to fight over it. Periodically people get exasperated by this and try to make peace. Who knows, maybe someday it'll work.
A wheelwright is a craftsman who builds or repairs wooden wheels and makes other bentwood projects.
A wainwright or cartwright is a trades person skilled in the making and repairing of wagons and carts.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-12 03:31 am (UTC)You're welcome!
Date: 2023-12-12 03:48 am (UTC)