Autumn Gothic

A gray suburban Sunday morning framed by the kitchen window,
Autumn leaves struggle to hang from branches for one more day,
A still-green grass is covered by their yellowing siblings who took an early fall,
They drift around the yard in a windy bid at finding a new life.

Morning coffee steams on the table, Babka to its side,
A week-old magazine open to a trailblazing young doctor’s profile,
The future seems positively inspiring on the glossy pages,
Seep of coffee, harvest sweet bites from the plate, no crumb left behind.

Cat Nami sniffs the chilly air through the slightly open window,
The day ahead is hinting; chores, creative tasks, relaxation, the range,
Writing a story chapter, a poem, brave weather for a walk,
The coffee cup and plate are empty, the kitchen sink is next.

October 31, 2021

פְּגִישַׁת מַחְזוֹר

Sep28

פגישת מחזור ,כְּשֶׁנָּמוּת נִתְאַסֵּף כּוּלָּנוּ
,בַּחֲדַר הַכִּיתָּה שֶׁל אָז
,זִיגִי יַעֲמוֹד מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַשּׁוּלְחָן
,זָקוּף וּרְצִינִי בַּחֲלִיפָתוֹ הַחוּמָה
,יַנִּיחַ אֶת רְשִׁימַת הַשֵּׁמוֹת עַל הַשּׁוּלְחָן
.וְיִבְדּוֹק נוֹכְחוּת

,נַגִּיעַ לְשָׁם לְאַט, יְחִידִים
.לֹא בְּבַת אַחַת כְּמוֹ אָז בַּתִּיכוֹן
,הַפַּעַם לֹא יִשָּׁמַע הַצִּילְצוּל שֶׁל שְׁמוֹנֶה
.וְלֹא יִהְיוּ מְאַחֲרִים
,נֵרָאֶה מְבוּגָּרִים יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁהָיִינוּ, מְאֹד
.לְלֹא תִּלְבּוֹשֶׁת אֲחִידָה, בִּבְגָדִים רְגִילִים

,נֵשֵׁב בַּסֵדֶר הַקָּבוּעַ וּנְסַפֵּר כֵּיצַד עָבְרוּ הַשָּׁנִים
,צָבָא, לִימּוּדִים, אַהֲבָה, יְלָדִים וּנְכָדִים
,נִשְׁלוֹף תְּמוּנוֹת וּנְתָאֵר תֵּיאוּרִים
.וְתִהְיֶה תַּחֲרוּת רְגִילָה שֶׁל גְּבָרִים
,מִדֵּי זְמַן תִּפָּתַח הַדֶּלֶת וְיִצְטָרֵף עוֹד חָבֵר
.וְנַתְחִיל מֵחָדָשׁ אֶת הַסִּיפּוּרִים

,יוֹד בֵּית שְׁתַּיִים מַחְזוֹר שְׁמוֹנִים
,כִּיתָּה מְגוּבֶּשֶׁת, גְּבָרִים צְעִירִים
,בֵּית הַסֵּפֶר נִסְגָּר כְּבָר לִפְנֵי עִידָּנִים
,הַצִּיּוּד הָועֳבַר, נֶעֶלְמוּ הַמּוֹרִים
,רַק אֲנַחְנוּ יוֹשְׁבִים כָּאן וּמְגַחֲכִים
.שִׂיחָה תּוֹסֶסֶת בְּתוֹם הַחַיִּים

Class Reunion

When we die, we shall all gather,
In the classroom from back then,
Ziggy will stand behind his desk,
Straight and serious in his brown jacket,
Will place the name list on the table,
And check attendance.

We will arrive slowly, one at a time,
Not all at once as we did back in high school.
The eight o’clock bell will not be heard this time,
And there will be no tardies.
We will look older than we were, a lot more,
No school uniforms, only normal clothes.

We will sit in our regular order and tell about how the years had passed,
Army service, college, love, children, and grandchildren,
We shall pull out pictures, tell and describe,
And there will be a regular competition of men.
Every once in a while, the door will open and another will join,
And we will start the stories all over again.

Twelve grade two, class of eighty,
A cohesive group, young men,
The school has been closed for ages,
The equipment was moved, the teachers had vanished,
Only we are sitting here chuckling,
A lovely conversation at the end of life.

English Translation

July 13, 2021

סִימָנֵי עָשָׁן

Sep20

סימני עשן ,כְּשֶׁמַּצְמִידִים אֶת הָאוֹזֶן אֶל הַקַּרְקַע
,אֶפְשָׁר לָחוּשׁ בְּסוּסִים דּוֹהֲרִים
,רַכָּבוֹת שׁוֹעֲטוֹת
,אֲנָשִׁים צוֹעֲדִים
.הֶמְיָית הָאֲדָמָה

,כְּשֶׁמַּנִּיחִים אֶת הָרֹאשׁ עַל הַכָּרִית
,נִיתָּן לְהַרְגִּישׁ אֶת שְׁאוֹן הַיּוֹם
,קְשָׁיִים וְהַצְלָחוֹת
,מַאֲמָצִים וּרְגָשׁוֹת
.זִיכְרוֹן הַחֲוָויָה

,כְּשֶׁמַּרְגִּיעִים אֶת הָרֹאשׁ עַל הֶחָזֶה
,יְכוֹלִים לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶת רַחֲשֵׁי הַלֵּב
,פְּחָדִים וְדִימְיוֹנוֹת
,תְשּוּקוֹת וְתִקְווֹת
.חֲלוֹם הָאַהֲבָה

Smoke Signals

When sticking an ear to the ground,
It is possible to sense horses galloping,
Trains thundering,
People marching,
The Earth’s hum.

When placing a head on the pillow,
It is possible to feel the noise of the day,
Difficulties and successes,
Efforts and feelings,
The event’s memory.

When relaxing a head on the chest,
It is possible to hear the rustle of the heart,
Fears and imaginations,
Passions and hopes,
The love’s dream.

English Translation

August 4, 2021

דַּף חָדָשׁ

Sep9

דף חדש ,בּוֹא נִפְתַּח דַּף חָדָשׁ
,הִיא אָמְרָה
,דַּף לָבָן וְנָקִי בְּמַחְבֶּרֶת חֲלָקָה
,נָשִׂים בְּצַד אֵת כָּל מָה שֶׁקָּרָה
,וְנִשְׁכַּח
,וְנַתְחִיל מֵחָדָשׁ
.כְּמוֹ לֹא הָיָה

?אֶפְשָׁר? אַתָּה מוּכָן
.הִיא הִמְשִׁיכָה
,עֲזוֹב מָה שֶׁהָיָה
.שׁוּב הִדְגִּישָׁה
?אֵין בְּרֵירָה, אַתָּה מֵבִין
,לְשַׁנּוֹת חַיָּיבִים
.מַעֲרֶכֶת יְחָסִים חֲדָשָׁה לְהָקִים

,טוֹב, בְּסֵדֶר, נַנִּיחַ
.הִסְכַּמְתִּי
,חָשַׁשוֹת בְּתוֹכִי עוֹד הִדְחַקְתִּי
.וְזָרַמְתִּי
,אֶפְשָׁרִי, נַעֲשֶׂה
,לֵית בְּרֵירָה, נְנַסֶּה
,זֶה נָכוֹן, זֶה חָשׁוּב
.נִהְיֶה

,חֲתִיכַת אֶתְגָּר
,הִתְכַּוַּוצְתִּי
,מָה עָלֶה בְּרָאשִׁי
?הִשְׁתַּגַּעְתִּי
,אֵיךְ נִיתָּן כָּךְ לִמְחוֹק
,שְׁנוֹת רִיבִים וּמְדוֹנוֹת
?מִשְׁקָעִים, דִכְּאוֹנוֹת, אַכְזָבוֹת

,וְנַנִּיחַ וּבֶאֱמֶת נִשְׁתַּדֵּל
,בְּאֵיזוֹ מִין קַלּוֹת יֵעָלֵם
,כָּל הָסֶחִי הַזֶּה
,שֶׁשּׁוּב צָף וּמְבַזֶּה
,כָּל תִּקְוָוה לַשִּׁינּוּי
?בַּהֹוֶוה

,עַד כַּמָּה כְּבָר נִיתָּן
,לַעֲמוֹד עַל קַרְקַע
,שֶׁשּׁוֹקְעִים בָּהּ קָשׁוֹת
.חֲמִישִּׁים וְעוֹד שְׁנוֹת
?בֶּאֱמֶת? זֶה סָבִיר
.לֹא שָׁכַחְתָּ, מַכִּיר

?וְאוּלַי תִּתְגַּבֵּר, תִּתְחַשֵּׁב
.זֶה הַגִּיל וְהַכֹּל שֶׁכּוֹאֵב
,לֹא נִשְׁאַר כְּבָר עוֹד זְמַן
,לְתַקֵּן אֶת שֶׁנִּיתֵּן
.תִתְפָּכֵּחְ
?עֲזוֹב, לְמִי יֵשׁ עוֹד כֹּחַ

,טוֹב, נִיסִּינוּ, הִנֵּה תּוֹצָאָה
,אֵין חָדָשׁ תַּחַת שֶׁמֶשׁ
?פְּלִיאָה
,שׁוּב חָזְרוּ מְרִיבוֹת
,וִיכּוּחִים, הִתְעַלְּמוּיּוֹת
.הִנֵּה הִיא שׁוּב נְקוּדַּת הַפְּתִיחָה

A New Page

Let’s open a new page,
She said,
A white and clean paper sheet in a blank pad.
Set aside all that happened,
And forget,
And start over anew,
As if there was nothing.

Is it possible? Are you ready?
She continued.
Forget what there was,
She again emphasized.
There’s no choice, you understand?
To change we must,
A new relationship to build.

Well, fine, let’s say.
I agreed.
Fears within me I still repressed,
And went with it.
It’s possible, let’s get it done,
No choice, we shall try,
It is right, it’s important,
We shall be.

Quite a challenge,
I cringed,
What went through my mind?
Was I crazy?
How can you simply erase,
Years of quarrels and fights,
Sediments, depression, disappointments.

And suppose we will give it true try,
With which ease will disappear,
All this filth,
Which again floats and despises,
All hope for a change,
In the present?

How much is it possible,
To stand on the ground,
That you sink in real hard,
Fifty years and some more,
Really? Is that reasonable?
You did not forget, you know.

And perhaps you’ll overcome, will consider?
It’s the age and everything that hurts,
There is no time left,
To fix what you can,
Sober up.
Forget it, who has the energy?

Well, we tried, here’s the result,
There is nothing new under the sun,
Wonder?
The quarrels returned,
Debates, ignorance,
Here once again is the starting point.

English Translation

March 28, 2021

לְכָל אִישׁ יֵשׁ סֵפֶר

Sep9

לכל איש יש ספר ,לְכָל אִישׁ יֵשׁ סֵפֶר
,שֶׁקָּנוּ לוֹ הוֹרָיו
,שֶׁנָּתְנוּ לוֹ חֲבֵרָיו
.קְרוֹבֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ

,כָּל אִישׁ הוֹגֶה בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם
,בַּמִּטָּה לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁנָה
,בְשִׁבְתוֹ שָׂם
.אוֹ סְתָם בִּזְמַן מְנוּחָה

,לְכָל אִישׁ יֵשׁ מַדָּף
,כַּמָּה סְפָרִים שֶׁבָּחֲרוּ אוֹתוֹ
?אוֹ הוּא אוֹתָם, מִי יוֹדֵעַ
.זֶה הָיָה מַמָּשׁ מִזְּמַן

,לְכָל אִישׁ יֵשׁ שֵׁם
,שֶׁל סֵפֶר שֶׁתָּפַס אוֹתוֹ חָזָק
,וְהוּא קוֹרֵא בּוֹ רָצוּף
.בִּשְׁעַת פְּנַאי וּשְׁעַת דָּחַק

,כָּל אִישׁ נִמְצָא בְּמַסָּע
,בְּדֶרֶךְ רֶצוּפָת סְפָרִים
,צָעַד לְצַעַד, סֵפֶר לְסֵפֶר
.עַד לַכּוֹתָר הַבָּא

(נכתב בהשראתה של צילה זן-בר צור)

Every Man Has a Book

Every man has a book,
That his parents bought him,
That his friends gave him,
His relatives.

Every man studies it during the day,
In bed before sleep,
While sitting there,
Or simply during rest.

Every man has a shelf,
Some books that chose him,
Or is he them, who knows?
It was a long time ago.

Every person has a name,
Of a book that grabbed him hard,
And he reads it continuously,
During leisure time and time of urgency.

Every man is on a journey,
On a road paved with books,
Step by step, book by book,
Until the next title.

English Translation

February 27, 2020

Coloring

Aug24

Coloring I can choose the words I’m speaking,
I may say things without fear,
I can wear just any fashion,
But can’t change the color of my skin.

I can earn degrees and money,
I can lead troops into war,
I can live in any city,
Cannot change my skin color.

Race, a privilege or burden?
All depends on whom you were born to,
Choices are not always handy,
Not for genes or one’s skin tone.

Theories, opinions in abundance,
Experts talking all day long,
Facts cross fiction and sob stories,
History by the wayside gone.

Life comes in so many colors,
Rainbow-range from light to dark,
You can have a million choices,
But always from within that same skin tone.

July 4, 2021

הַנַּיָּיד

Jul26

הנייד ,הַנַּיָּיד שֶׁלִּי
,נַיָיח בַּבַּיִת
,חֲסַר שִׁימּוּשׁ
.כְּבָר דֵּי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד זְמַן

,הַסּוֹלְלָה לֹא נִגְמְרָה בּוֹ
,מֵאָז הַקַּיִץ שֶׁעָבָר
,הוּא לֹא נָפַל, נִשְׂרָט, נֶחְבַּל
.בּוֹדֵד לוֹ נָח עַל הַשּׁוּלְחָן

,הָאַפְּלִיקַצְיוֹת מְבוּסָּסוֹת הַמִּיקּוּם
,רוֹבְצוֹת בְּטֵלוֹת מִשִּׁיעֲמוּם
,כְּשֶׁאֵין לְאָן כְּבָר לַנַּוֶוט
?מָה נוֹתַר לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּעֵת

,גַּם הַמַּצְלֵמָה מוּזְנָחַת
,כָּל הַתְּמוּנוֹת נִרְאוֹת זֵהוֹת
,כָּךְ זֶה כְּשֶׁרֶתּוּקִים לַבַּיִת
.וְזֶה מַרְגִּישׁ כְּמוֹ שְׁלַל דּוֹרוֹת

,בְּקָרוֹב, כָּךְ הֵם הִבְטִיחוּ
,עוֹד נָשׁוּב לְהִתְנָיֵיד
,אַךְ עַד אָז, נוּ, בְּמָטוּטָא
.נָא דָּאֲגוּ לְקַבֵּל זְרִיקוֹת

The Mobile

My mobile phone,
Is stationary at home,
useless,
For quite a long time.

The battery did not run out,
Since the summer past,
It did not fall, got scratched, or damaged,
A loner resting on the desk.

Location-based applications,
Crouching idle from boredom,
When there is nowhere to navigate,
What is left to do right now

The camera also is neglected,
All the pictures look the same,
That is how feels home isolating,
And it feels like a bunch of generations.

Soon, so they made a promise,
We’ll return to getting around,
But until then, oh well, would you,
Please be sure to get those shots.

English Translation

January 21, 2021

עֲדִי

Jul23

עֲדִי ,יַלְדָּה יָפָה קְטַנָּה, רוֹכֶבֶת עַל כְּתֵפָיִים
,שְׁחוֹרָת שֵׂיעָר גּוֹלֵשׁ, בְּרָק חוֹמֵד בָּעֵינַיִים
,אַתָּה אָהוּב שֶׁלָּהּ! הִיא מַכְרִיזָה לְכָל שׁוֹמֵעַ
.לְשָׁם! הִיא מָכְוִוינָה אוֹתִי מִגּוֹבַהּ הַשָּׁמַיִים

,יַלְדָּה יָפָה גְּדוֹלָה, חִיּוּךְ צָחוֹר שִׁינַּיִים
,מַבָּט שֶׁל בַּחוּרָהּ עִם מֶתֶק שֶׁל שְׂפָתַייִם
,בְּחִינוֹת בַּגְרוּת, צָבָא, הִנֵּה סִיְּימָה כְּבָר תּוֹאַר
.כֵּן כֵּן, הִיא מְסַפֶּרֶת, הַזְּמַן כָּאן רָץ כִּפְלַיִים

,אִשָּׁה יָפָה, כְּבָר אִם, בָּנִים אֶחָד וּשְׁנַיִים
,הֶישֵּׂג רוֹדֵף הֶישֵּׂג, דִּינֵי חֶבְרֶה, מִשְׁפָּטִים
,עוֹד צֶבֶר לִימּוּדִים, מוּסְמֶכֶת לְעֵילָא הִיא
.נִדְבָּךְ נוֹסָף הוּשַּׂג, הַגְּבוּל הוּא הַשָּׁמַיִים

,אֲרוּחַת שַׁבָּת גְּדוֹלָה, בַּחוּץ לוֹהֵט הַקַּיִץ
,בּוֹא נְדַבֵּר יוֹתֵר, אוֹמֶרֶת, לֹא נְחַכֶּה שְׁנָתַיִים
,בַּת הַדּוֹדָה הַקְטָנָה שֶׁלָּךְ רוֹצָה לִשְׁמוֹר עַל קֶשֶׁר
.מַבְטִיחַ! עוֹד חִיבּוּק פְּרִידָה, חִיּוּךְ, יִהְיֶה בְּסֵדֶר

Jewel

A little pretty girl, riding on shoulders,
Flowing black hair, bright sweetness in her eyes,
You are her beloved! she announces to whoever listens,
There! she points me from sky-high.

A big pretty girl, bright teeth smile,
The look of a young woman, with sweet lips,
School finals, army service, she finished another degree,
Yes yes, she says, the time here flies twice as fast.

A pretty woman, a mother, a son, and then two others,
Achievement after achievement, social justice, law,
Another set of courses, she is certified very highly,
Another challenge met, the skies is the limit.

Large Shabbat lunch, outside the summer steaming,
Let’s talk more, she says, not wait another two years,
Your little cousin wishes to keep in touch,
Promise! Another goodbye hug, a smile, we will be fine.

English Translation

July 17, 2021

Arithmetic

Jul1

Arithmetic I am the sum of my successes,
The total of my failures,
The proof of my loves,
The result of my disappointments.

I grow by adding new successes,
Continuing to fail,
Demonstrating real love,
Suffering disappointments.

Positives and negatives,
Form a harmonious existence,
The good with a bad,
The right with a wrong.

I’m an uneasy equation,
And mostly well balanced,
Q.E.D. of life,
But not without fault.

July 1, 2021

Near Miss

Jun29

Photo: Joe Raedle – Getty Images

for T.

I could have been there,
Should have joined them,
would have been right too,
Only if.

Made my plans to,
Thought about it,
Meet and spend time,
With my friends.

In the end, I did not go,
Stayed home, and went about my week,
All that took place did without me,
And I escaped it, left unscathed.

Dusty rubble, rescue forces,
Loved ones missing, tense wait.
Guilt, confusion, painful suffering,
Hard to sleep, harder awake.

Ophir Palmon, writer

poetry, fiction, life stories, שירה, סיפורת

Author Archives: Ophir Palmon

Autumn Gothic

October 31, 2021

פְּגִישַׁת מַחְזוֹר

July 13, 2021

סִימָנֵי עָשָׁן

August 4, 2021

דַּף חָדָשׁ

March 28, 2021

לְכָל אִישׁ יֵשׁ סֵפֶר

February 27, 2020

Coloring

July 4, 2021

הַנַּיָּיד

January 21, 2021

עֲדִי

July 17, 2021

Arithmetic

July 1, 2021

Near Miss

June 29, 2021