ysabetwordsmith (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2013-07-05 12:49 pm
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2013-07-05 12:49 pm
Entry tags:
Poem: "Tikkun Olam"
This poem is spillover from the July 2, 2013 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by comments on "A Different Beat." This poem belongs to the series Walking the Beat.
Worth mentioning is that almost all of my poetic series are speculative in some regard. That's partly because I write a lot of speculative poetry, and partly because my audience loves it too. This one isn't; it's narrative poetry about a pair of lesbians who live in Boston, in the neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, as they deal with everyday challenges. I'm pleased because this expands the variety of my more visible and expandable writing. Feel free to share the news with anyone you think might enjoy reading this.
This microfunded poem is being posted one verse at a time, as donations come in to cover them. The rate is $.50/line, so $5 will reveal 10 new lines, and so forth. There is a permanent donation button on my profile page, or you can contact me for other arrangements. You can also ask me about the number of lines per verse, if you want to fund a certain number of verses.
So far sponsors include:thnidu, Baaing_tree, gingicat
FULLY FUNDED
78 lines, Buy It Now = $39
Amount donated = $20
Verses posted = 9 of 19
Amount remaining to fund fully = $19
Amount needed to fund next verse = $.50
Amount needed to fund the verse after that = $2
"Tikkun Olam"
As Dale and Kelly strolled down the street,
they noticed a small crowd of people around
the Nehar Shalom Community synagogue.
It was a relatively new addition, not yet
fully integrated with the rest of the neighborhood.
There were plenty of Jewish people in Brookline --
you could get the best bagels over there --
but not so many in Jamaica Plain.
Parents supervised a jumble of children
as they planted several grape vines
at the base of a wooden arch.
Nearby, another group set out
two different kinds of colorful willows.
Old women puttered around,
cleaning up bits of litter
and dropping them into bags.
Others peeled outdated flyers
off the nearby poles and posts.
Kelly reached up to remove the ones
too high for age-shrunken bodies to reach.
She wasn't a young woman,
but she was nowhere near old
and was taller than anyone else there.
Dale paused to ask if she could
drop off the bits of trash she had picked up
while walking, because those were
awkward to carry while using a cane.
"Of course," said the grandmotherly woman
who was holding the emptiest bag.
"I don't recognize you from synagogue, though.
It's not often we see other people
out doing tikkun olam."
"What's that?" Dale asked,
intrigued by the unfamiliar phrase.
"It means world repair,"
the old woman replied.
"We clean up what is dirty,
fix what is broken, and try to make
the neighborhood a nicer place to live."
"People do a lot of that around here,"
Dale said. "I'm sure you'll fit right in."
A young man leaned over to whisper something
to the bag-holder, soft words that might have been
Hebrew or Yiddish or some other language
that Dale didn't recognize anyway.
"Ah, you are the policewoman,"
the old woman said.
"Retired," Dale pointed out
with a flick of her cane.
"Nu, you may have given back the badge,
but I do not think you gave back the job,"
came the thoughtful reply. "I'm Rivka,
and this is my son Mendel.
We're pleased to meet you."
"Dale, and my partner Kelly --"
said the not-entirely-retired policewoman
as she looked around,
only to discover that the taller woman
had drifted over to do something
involving a screwdriver and the wooden arch.
"She seems quite handy with tools,"
Rivka observed.
"Better than I am," Dale said,
which was, privately, a bit embarrassing
but better than doing without
a handywoman in the house.
We've been invited to a potluck supper,
Kelly signed to Dale, turning around.
"That sounds great, but we don't
have anything to bring," Dale said.
"Then you can help wash the dishes,"
Rivka said, and Dale had to laugh,
because that was her family's tradition too,
even though they came from different cultures.
"That works for us," Dale said,
and Kelly nodded her agreement,
lip-reading along with the conversation.
It was one more way of
tying together the loose ends of the world.
* * *
Notes:
Tikkun olam is a custom of civic responsibility in Jewish culture. Special thanks tothnidu for tipping me to this idea, which inspired the poem. It's such a perfect description for what Dale and Kelly do.
The Nehar Shalom Community synagogue in Jamaica Plain is real and fairly recent.
Grapes are among the Seven Species named in the Torah as primary products of Israel. Plant them in the spring.
Willows are among the Four Species used during Sukkot for sacred decorations. They may be planted in spring or fall.
Nu is a Jewish interjection that can mean about twenty different things. It's often translated as "well" or "so" but there is a wry twist to it that doesn't carry over in English. The closest equivalent I've heard is the way some rockers get a couple dozen different meanings out of "duuuude."
Jewish potlucks are gaining popularity. Browse some recipes.
Worth mentioning is that almost all of my poetic series are speculative in some regard. That's partly because I write a lot of speculative poetry, and partly because my audience loves it too. This one isn't; it's narrative poetry about a pair of lesbians who live in Boston, in the neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, as they deal with everyday challenges. I'm pleased because this expands the variety of my more visible and expandable writing. Feel free to share the news with anyone you think might enjoy reading this.
So far sponsors include:
thnidu, Baaing_tree, gingicat FULLY FUNDED
Amount donated = $20
Verses posted = 9 of 19
Amount remaining to fund fully = $19
Amount needed to fund next verse = $.50
Amount needed to fund the verse after that = $2
"Tikkun Olam"
As Dale and Kelly strolled down the street,
they noticed a small crowd of people around
the Nehar Shalom Community synagogue.
It was a relatively new addition, not yet
fully integrated with the rest of the neighborhood.
There were plenty of Jewish people in Brookline --
you could get the best bagels over there --
but not so many in Jamaica Plain.
Parents supervised a jumble of children
as they planted several grape vines
at the base of a wooden arch.
Nearby, another group set out
two different kinds of colorful willows.
Old women puttered around,
cleaning up bits of litter
and dropping them into bags.
Others peeled outdated flyers
off the nearby poles and posts.
Kelly reached up to remove the ones
too high for age-shrunken bodies to reach.
She wasn't a young woman,
but she was nowhere near old
and was taller than anyone else there.
Dale paused to ask if she could
drop off the bits of trash she had picked up
while walking, because those were
awkward to carry while using a cane.
"Of course," said the grandmotherly woman
who was holding the emptiest bag.
"I don't recognize you from synagogue, though.
It's not often we see other people
out doing tikkun olam."
"What's that?" Dale asked,
intrigued by the unfamiliar phrase.
"It means world repair,"
the old woman replied.
"We clean up what is dirty,
fix what is broken, and try to make
the neighborhood a nicer place to live."
"People do a lot of that around here,"
Dale said. "I'm sure you'll fit right in."
A young man leaned over to whisper something
to the bag-holder, soft words that might have been
Hebrew or Yiddish or some other language
that Dale didn't recognize anyway.
"Ah, you are the policewoman,"
the old woman said.
"Retired," Dale pointed out
with a flick of her cane.
"Nu, you may have given back the badge,
but I do not think you gave back the job,"
came the thoughtful reply. "I'm Rivka,
and this is my son Mendel.
We're pleased to meet you."
"Dale, and my partner Kelly --"
said the not-entirely-retired policewoman
as she looked around,
only to discover that the taller woman
had drifted over to do something
involving a screwdriver and the wooden arch.
"She seems quite handy with tools,"
Rivka observed.
"Better than I am," Dale said,
which was, privately, a bit embarrassing
but better than doing without
a handywoman in the house.
We've been invited to a potluck supper,
Kelly signed to Dale, turning around.
"That sounds great, but we don't
have anything to bring," Dale said.
"Then you can help wash the dishes,"
Rivka said, and Dale had to laugh,
because that was her family's tradition too,
even though they came from different cultures.
"That works for us," Dale said,
and Kelly nodded her agreement,
lip-reading along with the conversation.
It was one more way of
tying together the loose ends of the world.
* * *
Notes:
Tikkun olam is a custom of civic responsibility in Jewish culture. Special thanks to
thnidu for tipping me to this idea, which inspired the poem. It's such a perfect description for what Dale and Kelly do.The Nehar Shalom Community synagogue in Jamaica Plain is real and fairly recent.
Grapes are among the Seven Species named in the Torah as primary products of Israel. Plant them in the spring.
Willows are among the Four Species used during Sukkot for sacred decorations. They may be planted in spring or fall.
Nu is a Jewish interjection that can mean about twenty different things. It's often translated as "well" or "so" but there is a wry twist to it that doesn't carry over in English. The closest equivalent I've heard is the way some rockers get a couple dozen different meanings out of "duuuude."
Jewish potlucks are gaining popularity. Browse some recipes.
no subject
Oops:
but not so many in Jamaica
ParkPlain(As in, for me at least:
Charlie handed in his dime at the Kendall Square Station,
And he changed for Jamaica Plain.
When he got there the conductor told him "One more nickel!"
Charlie couldn't get off of that train.
And did he ever return… )
Fixed!
Yay! I'm glad you like this.
>>Oops:
but not so many in Jamaica
ParkPlain<<Thanks for catching that.
>> (As in, for me at least:
Charlie handed in his dime at the Kendall Square Station, <<
*laugh* I know the song, but hadn't connected the names. Awesome.
no subject
"In consideration of people with chemical sensitivities, please refrain from using scents in our small space."
I appreciate that. :-)
Shabbat shalom!
Thoughts
>> "In consideration of people with chemical sensitivities, please refrain from using scents in our small space." <<
It's a nice thought, but in practice, almost impossible in today's world. Many products (mouthwash, shampoo) aren't even commonly available unscented. Others (laundry detergent, soap) you have to search carefully for to find at a store. And then people nag like hell if you smell like a human being instead of perfume.
I'm allergic to most artificial scents on my body, so I'm familiar with the issue, although I rarely react to stuff that's not on my body. I sympathize with a broad range of people's feelings on this spectrum. It is a damn hassle for much of that space, and worst for people with multiple chemical sensitivity who are basically just fucked.
Re: Thoughts
I suppose/hope they accept some kind of compromise level. I know some people with high levels of sensitivity. I have to cross the street when passing some cosmetic stores and places that sell scented candles and the like, and I strongly dislike being near people who are wearing strong scents.
Re: Thoughts
That's what I would aim for. "Don't douse yourself in perfume before coming here" is a simple rule that should be easy to follow.
>> I know some people with high levels of sensitivity. I have to cross the street when passing some cosmetic stores and places that sell scented candles and the like, and I strongly dislike being near people who are wearing strong scents. <<
I'm not fond of perfume counters or other scented displays. It's the artificial scents that bother me most. Natural essential oils are okay. Manure piles are dandy.
no subject
(Happy sigh.)
My kids told me, from visiting their friends, that "Chinese mothers are just like Jewish mothers!"
And my congregation's Sabbath morning services always end with a potluck. :-) So this all feels very familiar to me.
Yay!
I'm glad you liked this.
>> My kids told me, from visiting their friends, that "Chinese mothers are just like Jewish mothers!" <<
*laugh* There are parallels between certain cultures, where people do things in similar ways.
>> And my congregation's Sabbath morning services always end with a potluck. :-) So this all feels very familiar to me. <<
That's always good to hear. I like a lot of Jewish cooking. Challah is the queen of bread.
Re: Yay!
The two things I love about my Jewish friends... damn, they can *cook*... and they *think*. One of them told me that her Rabbi told her that you could sin, you could even not believe in G-d, and still be a good Jew... but you could not be *uneducated*, and still be a good Jew.
Looking forward to more of this.
Re: Yay!
I once made bread pudding with challah.
>> The two things I love about my Jewish friends... damn, they can *cook*... and they *think*. <<
Yes, I've noticed that my Jewish friends tend to be adept at debating.
>> One of them told me that her Rabbi told her that you could sin, you could even not believe in G-d, and still be a good Jew... but you could not be *uneducated*, and still be a good Jew. <<
Wow.
>> Looking forward to more of this. <<
Yay! Happily it turns out that I have a good handful of readers who are familiar with Jamaica Plain, so perhaps more prompts will appear in future fishbowls, creative jams, etc.
Re: Yay!
I make decent challah from a terrific recipe, but when I discovered that a local bakery has pretty much the same recipe, I decided to not drive myself insane :)
Re: Yay!
True.
>> I make decent challah from a terrific recipe, but when I discovered that a local bakery has pretty much the same recipe, I decided to not drive myself insane :) <<
My usual homemade bread recipe is challah. It's better than ordinary bread, and not much more difficult. Mainly it depends on whether the yeast decides to behave.
Re: Yay!
The last time I made challah, I added too much flour, so the crumb was denser than I like. Family still liked it.
Re: Yay!
no subject
In "A Different Beat" it's strongly implied that Kelly is Deaf. This strongly implies that she isn't. ??
Fixed!
no subject
BTW, mother-in-law was telling me today about the work of Margalit Fox and Bedouin sign language - I bet that you and ysabet would both be fascinated. But you've probably read it already for work. :)
http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Hands-Language-Reveals-About/dp/0743247132
Thoughts
For some things, yes, but I've edited this for improved clarity. Sometimes it takes me a little while to adjust to new characters.
>> BTW, mother-in-law was telling me today about the work of Margalit Fox and Bedouin sign language - I bet that you and ysabet would both be fascinated. But you've probably read it already for work. :) <<
Cooooool. I have heard of the village, but not the book. Thanks for the tip; I've added it to my Amazon wishlist.
no subject
I guess you could theoretically sign over your shoulder, but the orientations would be kind of twisted, and eye contact is important.
Well...
Re: Well...
orgwvcf tpng 34 whike trYUNG TI HOLD 0N TOOOOOOACAT
Re: Well...
Re: Well...
Re: Well...
(Exaggerating slightly, but oh my goodness, I love the comments on this poem.)
Re: Well...
no subject
I'm definitely interested in seeing more of this.
Yay!
That's nice to hear. Further input/inspiration regarding the local area is welcome, as this seems to be popular.
>> I'm definitely interested in seeing more of this. <<
This poem is open for microfunding, if you've got a few bucks to spare. Even $3.50 would get you two new verses. Also there's a nice chunk of change in the general fund, so folks will get to vote on how to distribute that after I close the tally for the week.
Re: Yay!
>>This poem is open for microfunding, if you've got a few bucks to spare. Even $3.50 would get you two new verses. Also there's a nice chunk of change in the general fund, so folks will get to vote on how to distribute that after I close the tally for the week.
Unfortunately, my grad school loan payments re-kicked back into gear this month, so until I have a better handle on how that's going to set me back each month, I'm not as likely to be spending as much in other areas. Temporary measure, I hope. Definitely keep me posted on the status of this poem, however. :)
Re: Yay!
Bummer.
>> so until I have a better handle on how that's going to set me back each month, I'm not as likely to be spending as much in other areas. Temporary measure, I hope. <<
That makes sense.
>> Definitely keep me posted on the status of this poem, however. :) <<
Check back over the weekend to find the general fund poll; open epics will have a chance at that money.
no subject
(As regards to JP flavor, there's the Lucy Parsons Center (http://lucyparsons.org/), which I unfortunately have yet to go to. There's also a nice center I've been too (the trans writing circle was hosted there) but damned if I can remember their name right now!
Thank you!
*happydance* Thank you for your support. I have posted your 5 new verses.
>> (As regards to JP flavor, there's the Lucy Parsons Center, which I unfortunately have yet to go to. There's also a nice center I've been too (the trans writing circle was hosted there) but damned if I can remember their name right now! <<
Both the LPC and the trans writing circle sound awesome. Thanks for sharing!